Boys take fifth in Hawaii

The Laguna Beach High boys’ basketball team traveled to Hawaii during the holiday break to compete in the Na Menehune/Reebok Holiday Classic on the island of Oahu and returned home Tuesday with the tournament’s fifth-place trophy.

In the fifth-place game played Dec. 29, the Breakers defeated Kaimuki, 57-49. The Breakers went up by 10 at the half after outscoring Kaimuki, 20-11, in the second quarter.

Ryan Lawler led Laguna in scoring with 18 points. Marcus Hairston scored 14 and Kevin Buck had nine points.

Laguna began the tournament with a 68-47 win over Punahou II Dec. 26. Hairston and Kenny Sullivan tied for game scoring honors with 15 points each. Dylan Roley was next with 14 points and Lawler scored 10.

In the second round, Laguna suffered is only defeat in a 55-45 loss to Kamehameha. The Breakers fought back in the second half but couldn’t completely recover from a 35-17 halftime deficit.

Sullivan and Buck had 10 and eight points, respectively.

The Breakers bounced back to take care of University (Hawaii), 45-30, taking a 12-3 lead after one quarter and increasing their advantage to 30-12 at the half.

Hairston led all scorers with 13 points and Roley scored 11.

Laguna, now 11-4 overall, returns to play at 7 tonight with a nonleague road contest at Irvine.

The Breakers won’t play again until they begin defense of their Orange Coast League title Jan. 11 at Calvary Chapel.