Boys’ Basketball: Tritons survive first CIF State game
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SAN FERNANDO — The last stop on the first Pacifica Christian High boys’ basketball tour will not be in San Fernando. A season that began at home six days after Thanksgiving will continue.
It has been a season of many firsts for the Tritons. In their debut varsity season, they made it to the CIF Southern Section Division 6 finals and the state tournament.
Now Pacifica Christian has won its first game in state in its first try. And it has won a game by one point for the first time.
The No. 11-seeded Tritons held on for a 75-74 win at No. 6 San Fernando Chavez on Wednesday night, advancing out of the opening round of the CIF State Southern California Regional Division V tournament.
Their two biggest tests have come during a five-day stretch, losing in the section finale to Riverside Carnegie, 75-45, at Godinez High on Saturday. Four days later, the Tritons returned to their winning ways.
They somehow avoided dropping consecutive games for the first time this season. The Tritons pulled it off with their leading scorer, Dominick Harris, fouling out with 2:57 to go. When the freshman point guard exited, he had 25 points and Pacifica Christian led, 66-65.
Cal Whitney picked up the scoring duties for Harris, producing down the stretch for the Tritons (24-4). He had the team’s last three field goals, and finished with 21 points.
The freshman’s layup with 31 seconds gave Pacifica Christian a 75-69 lead. The Tritons appeared on their way to the next round to play at No. 3 Encino Holy Martyrs Armenian (28-3) on Friday.
Then the Eagles (22-9) stormed back. Moises Palacios knocked down a three-pointer, and then raced in for a layup after a steal. With 15 seconds ticking, it was a one-point game.
The Tritons inbounded the ball, and they found Josh Griffith all alone at the other end of the court, but the ball slipped out of the junior’s hands. Chavez, the CIF Los Angeles City Section Division IV champion, grabbed the ball and called a timeout with 5.7 seconds remaining.
The hosts had one last play to run, to possibly take their first lead since it made the game’s first basket and win it. They inbounded the ball to Palacios, who had 18 points, tying Killeon Davis for the team lead. The guard dribbled up court, and threw up an airball that Matthew Barton got his hands underneath the basket. Barton went up and barely missed the game-winning shot as time expired.
“Wow!” said Pacifica Christian Coach Jeff Berokoff, who saw Timmy Bahadoor contribute 12 points and Josh Sims 10. “They had a shot to win it. What a heck of a game!”
CIF State Southern California Regional Division V playoffs
First round
Pacifica Christian 75, Chavez 74
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Pacifica Christian 16 – 20 – 18 – 21 — 75
Chavez 9 – 14 – 26 – 25 — 74
PC – Harris 25, Whitney 21, Bahadoor 12, Sims 10, Griffith 4, Seward 2, Belfiore 1.
3-pt. goals – Whitney 2, Harris 1, Bahadoor 1.
Fouled out – Harris.
Technicals – None.
C – Palacios 18, Davis 18, Parks 16, Berger 10, Gray 7, Jones 5.
3-pt. goals – Berger 1, Gray 1, Palacios 1, Parks 1, Davis 1.
Fouled out – Gray.
Technicals – Bench, Gray.
Twitter: @ByDCP
