CdM sweeps University

IRVINE — With one minute to go, Corona del Mar High boys’ basketball coach Ryan Schachter saw his top player dance too much on the court.

Danny Cheek lost his rhythm and the ball in mid-air at University. Ramon Mejia grabbed it, and with the shot clock close to expiring, Schachter couldn’t yell out a play to run.

Mejia said he knew what he was doing.

From way out, closer to midcourt than the three-point line, the junior guard swished a shot. Mejia delivered the dagger as the lead grew to nine and the Sea Kings were about to clinch at least a share of the Pacific Coast League title against the defending league champion on Tuesday night.

Mejia finished with 17 points and helped CdM beat University, 82-73, and extend its winning streak to 14 games. CdM (20-3, 8-0 in league) can clinch the outright league title at home Thursday, when it plays host to San Juan Hills.

The Stallions are 6-2 in league and they have to win their final two league contests and hope the Sea Kings go 0-2 down the stretch to split the crown with CdM. That’s a lot to ask for because the last time CdM, ranked No. 7 in the CIF Southern Section Division III-A coaches’ poll, lost was on Dec. 21.

Mejia and point guard Clayton Ragsdale, who tied Cheek with a team-high 18 points, said the Sea Kings aren’t planning to lose again this season. They looked sharp on a night Schachter had reason to be concerned.

“Our guys are in finals right now, so it’s always tough to play during finals,” Schachter said. “They get mentally fatigued. When they’re mentally fatigued, they don’t have the same energy.

“Our guys came out with a lot of energy. I was surprised. I wasn’t sure what kind of energy we were going to have.”

The Sea Kings in the opening quarter came out like gangbusters against the No. 9-ranked team in Division II-A. They were on a mission, getting Schachter his third league title in four seasons at CdM.

Knocking off his alma mater after University swept the two-game series last season felt more than good to Schachter. He likes to say those two games against the Trojans were close.

This season, CdM beat University (14-10, 4-4) by an average of two touchdowns per game. The latest one was the closest.

Ben Kwan gave the Trojans a 38-37 lead at halftime after scoring 14 of his 26 points in the second quarter. University shot lights out in the second, going 11 for 14 from the field.

The Trojans couldn’t keep up in the final two quarters. The Sea Kings tend to own the third quarter, having outscored the opposition almost every time.

Parker Stone got CdM off to a strong start in the second half. The birthday boy nailed back-to-back three-pointers in a one-minute stretch. Stone contributed eight of his 15 points during an 11-0 run in the third quarter that helped the Sea Kings take a 60-52 lead into the final eight minutes.

The lead quickly dwindled down to two points after Christian Scott rallied the Trojans in the first three minutes of the fourth. Scott, who scored a game-high 28 points, needed help.

Ragsdale proved to be unstoppable whenever he drove to his right. Twice the junior turned the game into a two-possession one, in favor of CdM. The Ragsdale layup that hurt University the most was 11 seconds after Scott converted a three-point play at the line, cutting the deficit to four with 3:05 to play.

Ragsdale wasn’t able to hit the free-throw attempt to make it a three-point play, but the Sea Kings got the three they wanted late. The long-range shot with 48 seconds left by Mejia wasn’t by design, unless if you talk to Mejia.

“I practice those every time,” Mejia said of this third three-pointer of the game. “Every time, it goes in.”

Pacific Coast League

Corona del Mar 82, University 73

SCORE BY QUARTERS

CdM – Ragsdale 18, Cheek 18, Mejia 17, Stone 15, Quon 5, McCormack 4, Heinecke 3, Haly 2.

3-pt. goals – Mejia 3, Stone 3.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

Uni – Scott 28, Kwan 26, Borovik 8, Hedayati 6, Directo 2, Varon 2, Biggers 1.

3-pt. goals – Kwan 2, Hedayati 2, Borovik 2, Scott 1.

Fouled out – None.