Mixed results for Seahawks

The Ocean View High boys’ basketball team is streaking to a return appearance in the CIF Southern Section quarterfinals.

The Seahawks used scoring spurts at both ends of the first and second quarters of their Division IIA second-round game Tuesday against Northview to take control, then finished the game with a flourish to eliminate the visiting Vikings, 57-47, before a raucous crowd at Ocean View.

The victory sets up a quarterfinal date at 7:30 p.m. Friday against No. 13-seed Atascadero. The Greyhounds defeated No. 4-seed Rancho Verde, 63-60, Tuesday, then won a coin flip to get its third consecutive home playoff game.

Ocean View, which picked up its 20th win of the season, was eliminated in last year’s quarterfinal by Artesia.

“This is a great win for our team and the atmosphere in our gym these last two games has been tremendous,” Ocean View co-Coach Jimmy Harris said.

The Seahawks began the playoffs last week by nearly scoring more than twice their average in a wild 90-87 overtime victory against visiting Antelope Valley.

Ocean View, the division’s fifth seed and champion of the Golden West League, never trailed No. 12-seed Northview (Valle Vista No. 2) after a free-throw by junior guard Brandon Ishimoto with 1:27 left in the first quarter. Ocean View (20-7) led 15-11 after one quarter and increased its lead to eight (24-16) three minutes into the second quarter, but Northview cut it to 24-20 with 2:49 left in the half.

The Seahawks’ Chris Horiuchi hit two key baskets to end the half, the last coming off a baseline jumper on a spin move to elude three defenders and beat the halftime buzzer.

They were the only points scored by the senior guard in the half and allowed Ocean View to enjoy a 29-21 lead at the break.

“Our goal was to make this a fastbreak game,” Harris said. “We wanted to control the tempo and we did a pretty good job of doing that to help break their 2-3 zone.

“I also thought we did a pretty good job in out-rebounding them and a decent job defending the three-point shot.”

Ocean View opened up its biggest lead, 34-23, when Takeshi Clifford hit a three-point shot at the 5:13 mark of the third quarter. But again, Northview (18-13) chipped away, scoring seven straight points to pull to within 34-30. Just like the opening quarter, though, the Seahawks responded with another run. This time, they scored the final seven points of the quarter, three by Ishimoto followed by the final four by Cameron Holz to take a 41-30 lead into the final eight minutes.

Northwood twice drew to within five in the fourth quarter, the final time on a three-point shot by senior guard Eric Johnson, to trail 48-43 with 1:40 to go. Ocean View had one more run left, and a 9-0 spurt over the next minute put the game away, as the Seahawks built their biggest lead, 57-43.

Ishimoto scored 16 points and handed out five assists, Holz scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds and freshman guard Avery Johnson finished with 10 points.

In girls’ basketball, Ocean View, co-champion of the Golden West League, had is season ended by Arroyo, the third-place team out of the Mission Valley League, 49-42, in a first-round Division IIIA game on Feb. 15.