O.V. bounced by Serra

TORRANCE — Senior captain Avery Johnson went crashing to the floor late in the first quarter, and seemingly so did the chances of the Ocean View High boys’ basketball team.

The No. 4-seeded Seahawks were playing on the road against top-seeded Serra in a CIF Southern California Regional Division III semifinal at El Camino College. Quite a task, even without losing perhaps your best player.

Johnson didn’t play the rest of the game after spraining his right ankle trying to block a Serra dunk. But somebody forgot to tell the Seahawks their chances were done.

They clawed ahead in the third quarter but ultimately fell, 50-45, ending their season and their quest for the Division III state title.

“I think we hung in there,” Ocean View Coach Jim Harris said. “But when you can’t score — [Serra’s] a good team...We made some turnovers, we missed some shots, and they got to the line too many times. They just chipped away, chipped away and there was too much time left in the game.”

Down, 32-26, at halftime, Ocean View had a third quarter that none of the fans in that gym will likely forget any time soon. The short-handed Seahawks (29-5) went on a 15-0 run to open the quarter. They were getting steals, they were taking charges and used three baskets from senior center Ryan Okwudibonye and three-pointers from seniors Anthony Brown, Steven Yoon and Aaron Delgado to take a 41-32 lead with about three minutes left in the quarter.

“They got that lead because they were warriors,” Harris said. “They made every play they had to make — taking charges, unbelievable rebounds. What you have to applaud is that they took a huge hit [when Johnson] got hurt. Most kids would have packed it in, but they went out and showed that they were ready to give it everything they had.”

From there, though, Ocean View could score just four more points — none in the final six minutes of the game.

Serra (33-2) rallied and took a 48-45 lead on Craig Carter’s three-pointer from the corner with 38 seconds left. Ocean View missed four straight shots, the last of those an open three-pointer with four seconds left.

“We were playing not to lose,” Brown said. “We weren’t being aggressive. We didn’t keep our foot on the gas pedal.”

Brown had 17 points for Ocean View, Okwudibonye added 11 and Delgado seven.

“We were just working together,” Delgado said. “We knew when Avery was out, we couldn’t fall apart. We had to go together...When something happens, we’re not going to fall apart.”

Junior guard Marquis Lee scored 16 for Serra, hurting Ocean View with four steals leading to lay-ups or dunks. Senior guard Keith Shamburger added 12, including an assist on Carter’s tie-breaking three-pointer. Shamburger was triple-teamed as he drove the lane and dished to Carter in the corner.

Serra Coach Dwan Hurt said he felt for the Seahawks after Johnson’s injury.

“I was hoping he would be able to continue,” Hurt said. “When you’re playing against a very good team, and well-coached by Harris, you want to see that kid play.”

Ocean View, which beat Serra in the 2009 CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA semifinals, has nothing to be ashamed of, Hurt said.

“Our third quarter has always been our biggest quarter, and they took us right out of it,” Hurt said.

“Their kids played well and our whole thing was to just grind it out and wear them down. I think that’s what we did.”

Yet Ocean View still showed so much as well.

“As long as we play as a team, anything is possible,” Brown said. “Anything can happen.”

Point proven, even with the loss.

 The Edison High girls’ basketball team couldn’t hold a late lead and fell at Yosemite, 76-75, in a CIF Southern California Regional Division II quarterfinal March 11.

The Sunset League champion Chargers finished the year 24-6.