Castro, Bell-Jeff Heat Up as Game Wears On, 82-78

Harvard-Westlake High is the defending San Fernando League basketball champion, but Coach Greg Hilliard has lost four starters and thinks the league this year could be a case of you-never-know.

And you never knew Friday night against Bell-Jeff. The host Guards defeated Harvard, 82-78.

In a game in which the teams combined for only 18 first-quarter points, Bell-Jeff’s Ignacio Castro scored 17 in the third quarter.

Who would have thought that Castro, averaging 10 points a game coming in, would score a game-high 27 points?

And after the teams combined for nine-of-33 shooting in the first quarter, who would have thought there would have been 160 points before it was over?

“Both teams were tight,” Hilliard said, “and I think both teams showed it. Shooting is usually shaky in a game that means a lot.”

Bell-Jeff (12-4, 3-0 in league play) led by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter but had a difficult time putting the Wolverines away. Trailing, 67-58, Harvard (10-6, 2-1) went on a seven-point run ignited by first a two-point basket and then a three-point basket by Greg Peters. Peters, who had eight points at halftime, finished with 24.

The Guards’ lead was 78-72 with 27 seconds left when Peters hit a three-point shot. Bell-Jeff’s Bryan Camacho made one of two free throws, and a three-point basket by Tarlin Ray cut the Guards’ lead to 79-78 with four seconds left.

After a timeout, Castro hit one of two free throws, and Harvard had the ball with two seconds left and a chance to win. But J.W. Hobson’s inbounds pass to Ray on the other side of the court flew out of bounds, ending the Wolverines’ chances. A field goal by Castro with one second left finished the scoring.

Joe Bunning, a 6-6 senior, blocked six shots for Bell-Jeff.