Boys basketball: Hawks rally past CdM, 64-54

Richard Dunn

CORONA DEL MAR - In the home debut of first-year Corona del Mar

High boys basketball coach Ryan Curry Wednesday night against nonleague

foe Laguna Hills, a clinic broke out in the second half.

But it wasn’t Curry’s. Veteran Laguna Hills Coach Dave Brown proved to

be a savvy opponent as the Hawks (6-6) used a successful full-court press

in the third quarter to turn a close game into a 64-54 victory.

After Corona del Mar (3-8) led most of the first half, the Hawks

rallied for a 30-28 halftime lead, capped by a four-point play by Marc

Dimick with 0:54 left.

Then, in the third quarter, Laguna Hills blitzed the Sea Kings, 20-7,

and built a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter, before CdM junior Kevin

Mancillas caught fire late in the game to cut his team’s final deficit to

10.

“The third quarter was keyed off good defense,” said Brown, whose team

has averaged yielding only 45 points per contest. “For us to give up 28

points at halftime, that’s a lot, but (we) responded and played better

defensively, which keyed the offense.”

CdM junior Brandon Sherick-Odom scored inside on a pass from Mancillas

with 5:59 left in the third quarter as the Sea Kings pulled to within

32-30. But the Hawks scored nine straight points to launch their

third-quarter outburst.

“I thought that was the best we’ve played this year,” said Curry,

whose team was led by Mancillas’ 24 points off the bench, while junior

Bret Matsen added 10 points.

“I’ve seen Laguna Hills three times and (it is) a very good ballclub.

(The Hawks) are really well-coached. You can tell because they move with

a purpose, and, in the second half, they got the ball to the right kids

and they knocked down shots when they needed to.”

CdM, which outscored the Hawks in the first quarter, 19-14, had five

three-pointers in the opening period, including two each by Mancillas and

Matsen.

Laguna Hills, led by Dimick (17 points), Ross Carter (12) and Matt

Donat (10), chipped away in the second quarter, before taking the lead

for good, 30-28, after Dimick was fouled on a three-pointer.

CdM will host Fallbrook in a nonleague game Friday.

NONLEAGUE

Laguna Hills 64, Corona del Mar 54

Score by Quarters

Laguna Hills 14 16 20 14 - 64 Corona del Mar 19 9 7 19 - 54 Laguna Hills - Dimick 17, Vollenhals 4, Stelling 2, Stone 5, Donat 10,

Hovsapian 2, Carter 12, Brown 5, Ringor 5, Fosheim 2.

3-pt. goals - Dimick 2, Carter 2.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

Corona del Mar - Northridge 3, Seaborn 9, Sherick-Odom 4, Welch 4,

Matsen 10, Mancillas 24, Hildebrandt 0, Glass 0, Najar 0.

3-pt. goals - Mancillas 6, Matsen 2, Seaborn 1, Northridge 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.