Youth Scene: Laguna young ballers get it started

Laguna Beach teams opened their 2013-14 National Junior Basketball seasons Saturday, and two of those teams had split results.

Boys Division 1 (7th/8th grade)

Laguna Beach 51, Laguna Hills 41

Laguna Beach Team 2 started its season with a convincing victory over the Laguna Hills UCLA team at Laguna Hills High.

Laguna Beach jumped out to an early lead and led in every quarter en route to the victory. Noah Handel led the team with 17 points. Zack Bonnin scored 12 points, Nicholas Lucas 10 points, and Dylan Miller eight points. Joe Sweet was strong on the defensive end with four blocked shots.

The teams play a rematch at 2 p.m. Saturday at Thurston Middle School in Laguna Beach.

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Girls’ Division 1

Capo Dana 27, Laguna Beach 24

Laguna Beach dropped a tight game to Capo Dana at San Juan Capistrano.

The undermanned Laguna squad led after each of the first four periods, but couldn’t hold the lead in the fifth period.

Laguna was led in scoring by Sophia Lucas with 10 points. Isabel Mansour and Quinn Winter each scored six points and Evie Laptin chipped in two points.

Laguna plays games this weekend, starting with an 11:20 game Saturday at San Clemente. Laguna visits Aliso Niguel for an 8:15 a.m. game Sunday.

— Reader submission