San Diego Prep Basketball : Monte Vista Beats El Capitan in Overtime

Monte Vista High School’s Barney Laffitte scored just two of his 18 points in the fourth quarter. But those two points enabled the Monarchs to send their game against El Capitan into overtime, where they eventually beat the Vaqueros, 69-64, in a Grossmont League game Tuesday at El Capitan.

Trailing 62-60 and trying to ignore a screaming El Capitan crowd, Laffitte made two free throws with 14 seconds left to send the game into overtime.

“Coach (Pete Colonelli) taught me to dribble the ball four times and say ‘I can make it,’ “Laffitte said. “But the crowd was so loud that when I bounced the ball I couldn’t hear it.”

Monte Vista dominated the game early, leading 38-20 at halftime and 47-33 after three quarters.

But the Vaqueros outscored the Monarchs, 11-2, in the first two minutes of the final quarter to close to within five points. El Capitan guard Darin Curtis, who had 10 points in the final quarter, made two free throws with 2:13 remaining to bring the Vaqueros within three, 57-54.

Curtis then stole the inbound pass and teammate Brad Burton bulled his way to the basket and El Capitan was within one point. Curtis forced another turnover 30 seconds later. Steve Burroughs picked up the loose ball and passed to Curtis, who made a lay-up. Curtis was fouled on the play and made the free throw to give El Capitan a 59-57 lead with 1:21 left.

After trading baskets, Monte Vista’s Demetrius Laffitte had a chance to tie the game at the foul line with 44 seconds remaining. But Laffitte missed the second half of a one-and-one and Monte Vista trailed, 61-60.

Curtis, who was six of seven from the free throw line in the final quarter, had a chance to put the game out of reach 27 seconds later. But he also missed the second half of a one-and-one and the Vaquero lead was two.

Burroughs fouled Barney Laffitte, struggling to intercept the inbound pass, with 14 seconds left to set up the tying points.

“We played a super first half and they played a super second half,” Colonelli said. “We were able to do the things in overtime that we had worked on in practice.”

What Monte Vista did was work the ball inside to Demetrius Laffitte, who scored five points in the overtime and had a game-high 27 points. The El Capitan full-court press that spurred its comeback was non-existent in overtime.

The win enables the No. 4 Monarchs (8-0, 14-1) to remain in first place in the Grossmont League. The seventh-ranked Vaqueros (7-1, 11-4) are in second.

David Burgess added nine points, six in the final quarter, to help Monte Vista. Burroughs scored eight of his 17 points in the fourth quarter to help Curtis bring El Capitan back.