NEWPORT BEACH — The first meeting between Pacifica Christian and Newport Harbor in boys basketball went to the Tritons as they pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 60-37 win in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 2AA playoffs Friday night.
The schools are separated by less than two miles and they provided a competitive game with a lively playoff atmosphere inside the Tritons’ gym.
“What a fun game. I would love to do this game every year, but it just hasn’t happened,” Pacifica Christian coach Jeff Berokoff said. “I think it’s great for the community, a lot of these guys are friends. I think it’s really cool. There was good sportsmanship after the game, that’s what this is all about.”
Pacifica Christian (21-7) was led by EJ Spillman, who scored a game-high 21 points with eight rebounds and five assists.
The Tritons will host San Juan Hills (21-9) in the quarterfinals Tuesday night.
The Sailors (18-12) entered the fourth quarter down by six but were outscored by Pacifica Christian 25-8 in the final eight minutes.
“It took us a while, right?” Berokoff said. “But we started moving more in the second half. I thought our defense was pretty good.”
Spillman scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half, including 10 in the fourth quarter.
“EJ was so dynamic in the second half, they just didn’t have an answer for him,” Berokoff said.
Spillman admitted he was playing too fast in the first half and he was able to settle down in the second.
“I just had to use my body, get on two feet,” he said, “get my teammates involved first and it opened it up for me.”
Michael Noel finished with 11 points and Joaquin Rigdon added nine points off the bench. Logan Stewart chipped in seven points.
“Getting Logan Stewart back in the game was so helpful for us because he got in foul trouble early so it just helped open up the floor,” Berokoff said.
Newport Harbor’s Jack Berry and Owen Saukkola scored 14 points each, but were the only players to score in double figures for the Sailors.
“You’re not getting to this part of the playoffs, (Division) 2AA, without good basketball players,” Sailors coach Bob Torribio said. “We know it’s not the coaching, we got great kids, they’re great basketball players. Tonight, they just ran into a better team that was playing very well.”
Gavin Guy, the hero from Newport Harbor’s buzzer-beating, first-round win over South Pasadena, was held to three points.
The Tritons and San Juan Hills met earlier in the season in The Classic at Damien with Pacifica Christian winning 78-59. Berokoff hopes home-court advantage will play a role in the rematch in the quarterfinals.
“I love our gym,” he said, “it’s a really fun place to play and I’m really excited that we get to host.”
Related Articles
High School Sports | Boys basketball roundup: Mater Dei rallies to beat St. Paul in CIF-SS playoffs; Crean Lutheran, San Juan Hills, Villa Park also advance High School Sports | Los Alamitos basketball tops Long Beach Poly with game-winning tip-in in Division 1 playoffs High School Sports | JSerra boys basketball knocks off Santa Margarita in CIF-SS Open Division playoffs High School Sports | Maranatha boys basketball continues to build strength as it beats Beckman in CIF-SS playoffs High School Sports | CIF-SS girls basketball playoffs: Thursday’s first-round scores, updated schedule Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Pacifica Christian boys basketball defeats neighbor Newport Harbor, advances in CIF-SS playoffs )
Also on site :
- Grandpa of Idaho shooting suspect Wess Roley, 20, breaks his silence as chilling new details emerge about his past
- Rachael Ray Nearly Unrecognizable Amid Fan Concerns About Her Health
- Cruise Passengers Capture 'Miracle' Rescue After 2 Go Overboard: 'Tiny Dots Left Behind in a Massive Ocean'