Ragsdale lifts Sea Kings

CORONA DEL MAR — Clayton Ragsdale made his second playoff debut with the Corona del Mar High boys’ basketball team Wednesday night.

The first was as a freshman and the second as a junior. The first time around, Ragsdale’s role was different.

“Freshman year, I didn’t have to do as much,” said Ragsdale, who transferred out of CdM after one season, spending last season at Brea Olinda before returning to the Sea Kings this season.

“I feel a little bit more pressure because I got to do more.”

Ragsdale’s a lot more defined, and no longer just a threat from the outside.

The guard stepped up and led the host Sea Kings in the opening round of the CIF Southern Section Division III-A playoffs.

Ragsdale drove whenever he wanted and scored as he pleased. He finished with 21 points and eight assists as fifth-seeded CdM beat Diamond Ranch of Pomona, 69-60.

The Sea Kings (23-3) won their 17th straight game and advanced to the second round, where they play San Marcos of Santa Barbara. CdM might have to travel up north.

CdM Coach Ryan Schachter said a coin flip today at the section headquarters in Los Alamitos determines whether the Sea Kings or Royals (24-4) play host to Friday night’s game.

One thing Schachter is certain about is the Sea Kings’ next postseason opponent will be a sharp contrast from the first one.

“They’re big and slow,” Schachter said of the Royals. “This [Diamond Ranch] team was quick and athletic.”

For one of the few times this season, the Sea Kings faced a team with more athleticism. There was a reason Ragsdale said they were anxious to run with the Panthers (10-16).

The Sea Kings went eight days without a game. The opener proved to be a formidable opponent, the third-place team out of the competitive Miramonte League.

The Panthers’ sheer talent kept them in the game for three quarters. They turned the ball over in bunches, 29 for the game, but only trailed Pacific Coast League champion CdM, 49-43, heading into the final eight minutes.

Malcolm Green stung the Sea Kings in the third quarter, recording 12 points. Half of those points came on back-to-back three-pointers in a 31-second span late in the period.

The senior guard led all scorers with 24 points. In the fourth, CdM shut Green down for almost the first seven minutes.

By the time Green scored, with 70 seconds left, the game was practically over. CdM led by 14 points and its starters sat on the bench, enjoying the view.

The picture was a lot better than at halftime.

“We haven’t played in awhile, so we looked out of rhythm in the first half,” said Schachter, whose Sea Kings led, 34-27, unable to break away as they shot 58% from the free-throw line.

“We played at a notch too fast. We came out a little too amped up.”

You would understand why Ramon Mejia was more than ready to go for the Sea Kings.

The playoff game was the junior’s first at CdM. The transfer from Durfee High in Fall River, Mass., scored eight of his 15 points in the first half.

Midway through the fourth, Mejia delivered a sweet pass to Danny Cheek. The junior, in the air, finished the play with a layup to give Cheek two of his nine points.

Mejia was happy guys like Jaime Heinecke and Andrew McCormack came off the bench to contribute a combined 11 points and 12 rebounds.

“I found them,” Mejia said with a big a smile.

CIF Division III-A

First round

Corona del Mar 69, Diamond Ranch 60

SCORE BY QUARTERS

DR – Green 24, Hines 13, Swanegan 6, Kretschmar 6, Harris 5, Polee 4, Nolopp 2.

3-pt. goals – Green 2.

Fouled out – None.

CdM – Ragsdale 21, Mejia 15, Cheek 9, Stone 7, McCormack 6, Heinecke 5, Campbell 2, Sandoval 2, Freeman 1, Haly 1.

3-pt. goals – Mejia 1, Stone 1.