High School Roundup: Sage hot in playoff triumph

NEWPORT COAST — Last year, the Sage Hill School boys’ basketball team missed the CIF Southern Section playoffs because some players went on a trip.

This year, the Lightning made the most of their playoff opener.

Kevin Schaefer scored 23 points to help lead Sage Hill to a 74-52 win over Cantwell Sacred Heart of Montebello in the first round of the Division V-AA playoffs Wednesday night.

Sage Hill improved to 17-7, the school record for most wins in a season

Schaefer hit six three pointers, including three in the first quarter, when the Lightning raced out to a 23-4 lead. Sage Hill scored another 23 points in the second quarter to lead, 46-19, at halftime.

Mark Loper added 16 points and eight assists for Sage Hill, while Connor Gaughan had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. T.J. Danner and Frank Shapiro had nine points each.

The Lightning will face Buckley of Sherman Oaks in the second round Friday at a site to be determined by a coin flip today. Buckley beat Calvary Chapel of Downey, 70-54.

Cantwelll Sacred Heart finished the season at 10-18

— From staff reports

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Mayfair 74,

Newport Harbor 53

LAKEWOOD — Cody Caldwell, a 6-foot-6 junior reinstated to the team Monday after missing four games for an unspecified violation of team rules, led the visiting Sailors with 14 points in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division II-A playoffs Wednesday.

Austin Bagby had 13 points and Chris Anderson added nine for the Tars (11-16).

The Monsoons are 18-9.