Pickett’s three-point play lifts Laguna, 49-48

Nathan Pickett followed his own miss for the tying basket and then

hit the winning free throw in the waning moments to lift Laguna Beach

past host Encinitas, 49-48, in National Junior Basketball play.

Laguna had trailed, 48-46, in the boys’ eighth-grade All-Net

Division contest when, with 20 seconds remaining in the game, Pickett

took an inbounds pass from Pat Curran and shot a four-footer that

rolled around the rim and came out.

But Pickett fought for the rebound, put up a second shot that went

down, and was fouled on the play.

He calmly sank his free throw, and Laguna hung on for its seventh

victory in eight outings this season.

Laguna won despite playing without injured starting point guard,

Ian Butters, and losing leading scorer Bobby Monroe who fouled out

with his team down two points with 1:39 to play.

Encinitas’ full-court press forced several Laguna turnovers in the

first period and the host team converted the take-aways into a 16-11

lead.

Laguna did adjust in the second period and came up with a 15-2

spurt to forge a 32-22 halftime lead. Laguna led, 38-37, after three

quarters.

Despite fouling out, Monroe’s inside play netted 18 points and

seven rebounds. Teammate Brian Delino came up big with 11 points,

Chris Hyden added eight and Pickett finished with five points to go

along with eight rebounds.

Patrick Curran had four points and five rebounds, and Ty Fleming

closed out the scoring with three points.

Laguna returns home on Sunday to host the Irvine Hawks in a 2:45

p.m. tipoff at Laguna Beach High.