Estancia wins on Pinto’s shot

Rick Devereux

The Estancia High boys basketball assistant coaches have said Coach

Jason Simco, 22, might have a heart attack by the time he is 25

because of intense coaching style.

All Estancia basketball fans might join him if the Eagles continue

to squeak out wins like Tuesday’s 36-34 nail-biter over visiting

Ocean View, ranked No. 8 CIF Southern Section Division III-AA, in a

Golden West League showdown.

Senior guard Carlos Pinto hit a pull-up jump shot from the free

throw line with 2.3 seconds remaining to give Estancia, No. 6 in

Division III-A, the win.

“Carlos continues to show that he is the best player in the

league,” Simco said. “I told him that he has done it before and we

need him to do it again.”

The ‘it’ in question is a game-winning shot as time expires. Pinto

connected on a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Eagles a 38-37

win over cross-town rival and league opponent Costa Mesa Jan. 21.

“Everybody in the gym knew the ball was going to him, and he still

drilled it,” Simco said.

Estancia (18-4, 8-0 in league) had the lead for the entire game,

but the Seahawks (12-9, 5-3) clawed their way back and 6-foot-10

sophomore center Clint Amberry hit an outside jumper with 1:03 left

to tie the game, 34-34.

An exchange of turnovers gave the Eagles the ball with 13.1

seconds left. Pinto, who led all scorers with 12 points, dribbled to

his right, then crossed over and stopped at the free throw line and

nailed his shot.

Pinto was also the game’s leading scorer the first time Estancia

played Ocean View this year when he finished with 21 points in the

Eagles’ 49-42 road win Jan. 10. Pinto’s play in both games might have

ended the Seahawks’ seven-year reign as league champion.

“[Hitting the game-winning shot] is not something I want to do,”

he said. “I want to beat a team and blow them out so I don’t have to

make that shot.”

It looked as if Estancia had the game in hand in the opening

quarter, creating a 16-7 lead and holding Amberry and 6-6 junior Brad

Sweezy to a combined three points.

Senior Danny Argumedo hit a hook shot that gave Estancia a 6-3

lead and sparked a 12-2 run.

“That jump hook gave us energy,” Simco said. “I wish we played a

team that a 6-9 guy every night because Danny seems to step up when

the other team has a big guy. He struggles when he plays against a

5-11 guy.”

Guards Shaun Markley and Mike McDaniels each hit a three-pointer

during that run.

Argumedo, who scored all six of his points in the first quarter,

did not practice this week due to an illness, but his hustle inspired

his teammates.

“I just got over being sick,” Agumedo. “I was nervous before the

game but I like playing against big guys and knew we could beat these

guys.”

The win gives Estancia a two game lead over the Seahawks in the

league race and a one game advantage over Costa Mesa, which beat

Saddleback Tuesday night.

“We honestly thought we could be 8-0 in league,” Pinto said. “We

have a lot more potential than we’ve shown. We still haven’t played

the total team game that I’ve seen in practice. We can still play

better.”

Estancia plays host to Westminster Thursday at 7 p.m.

Golden West League

Estancia 36,

Ocean View 34

Score by Quarters

*--*

Ocean View 7 8 11 8 -- 34

Estancia 16 7 7 6 -- 36

*--*

Ocean View -- Schuelser 6, Greiner 6, Kosearas 4, Sweezy 6,

Johnson 0, Ishimoto 3, Amberry 9.

3-pt. goals -- None.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

Estancia -- C. Pinto 12, McDaniels 3, Sh. Markley 3, Argumedo 6,

Kopp 8, Verrette 2, Escobedo 0, Montillo 2, B. Pinto 0, McKendry 0.

3-pt. goals -- McDaniels 1, Sh. Markley 1, C. Pinto 1.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.