Boys basketball: Marina guns down Eagles

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - It’s probably a good thing the Estancia High boys gym

got to ring in the New Year in peace, after the host Eagles and Marina

Vikings capped four days of serious nylon abuse in a shoot-’em-up final

to the Coast Christmas Classic.

Marina nailed 10 of 14 three-pointers (71.4%), including 6 of 7 by junior

all-tournament selection Beau Brown, to claim a 75-71 title triumph

Thursday.

Estancia, which admittedly lives and dies beyond the 19-foot-9 arc,

connected on 9 of 14 bombs, including all five in the final period, but

couldn’t overcome Marina’s sizzling first half.

The Vikings (14-2 and ranked No. 8 in Orange County), who put Corona del

Mar in a 20-point halftime hole, then hung on for a three-point win

Wednesday, hit 16 of 26 (61.5%) to forge a 44-30 edge at the break

against the Eagles (10-5).

Estancia, however, refused to relent.

“I’m very proud of the way we played,” Estancia Coach Rich Boyce said.

“They blitzed us in the first half like Trabuco Hills did (Wednesday, a

38-27 deficit Estancia was able to overcome). I told our guys the same

thing at halftime I did the night before, which was ‘There’s no way they

can stay that hot in the second half.’ But I was wrong, because they did

stay hot.”

Boyce, however, believes reaching the Coast Christmas Classic final the

third time in four years helped his squad prepare for Friday’s Pacific

Coast League opener at cross-town rival Costa Mesa.

“Marina is a darn good team and we played them tooth and nail,” Boyce

said. “The better team won tonight, but, hopefully, it’s going to make us

a better team.”

Jon Cantrell hit four three-pointers en route to 16 points for the hosts,

before fouling out with three seconds left in the third quarter. But,

despite the absence of their all-tournament sharpshooter, the Eagles

continued to close.

Consecutive three balls by Steve Rodriguez (twice) and Jason Simco cut

the deficit to 62-54, then Simco drilled another bomb moments later to

shave the deficit to six.

But tournament MVP Dustin Kaatz, who finished with 30 points to up his

four-game tournament total to 99, connected from behind the arc with 3:50

left and the Vikings hit 7 of 12 free throws down the stretch to hold on.

It was the second tournament title this season for the Vikings.

“That first half was not out of character for us,” Holmes said of his

team’s shooting prowess. “We have that kind of ability to make baskets.”

Brown added 27 points and Chris DeLuca, another all-tournament choice,

added 11.

Simco, who joined Cantrell on the all-tournament team, led the Eagles

with 21, while senior Darshaun Garner capped an impressive tournament

with 14 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.

Senior point guard Travis Chandler added seven assists and three steals

to his eight points, while Rodriguez had all nine of his points on

three-pointers.