Westlake Hit by Rio Mesa Clamp, 67-52

Rio Mesa High collapsed on Westlake center Dave Heckmann after the first quarter and took the wind out of the Warriors, 67-52, Friday night for a convincing victory in the semifinals of the Beverly Hills Invitational baskeball tournament.

Heckmann, a 6-8 junior, dominated the first quarter, scoring nine points and hitting all four of his shots from the low post.

When Heckmann got the ball underneath, you could ring up two points. This postman never had to ring twice in the first period.

But Rio Mesa effectively doubled-teamed Heckmann in the second quarter and he missed his only two shots. Westlake, which had defeated top-seeded Palisades Thursday, scored only four points in the period and trailed, 32-21, at halftime.

Rio Mesa’s Jerry Dawson became the center of attention the final three periods. The 6-7, long-armed senior scored 20 points and had 11 rebounds. He punctuated his performance with two slam dunks.

Rio Mesa blitzed to its 11-point halftime lead on two buckets each by Dawson and guard Garett Worden in a span of a minute and a half. Also, sophomore Craig Wong hit a 17-foot bank shot at the buzzer

The Spartan lead grew to 17 points in the third period and 22 in the fourth. Long, who played on the frosh-soph team last season but logged 38 varsity-caliber games over the summer, had 13 points and eight rebounds.

“At first, I was more concerned with their balance and perimeter shooting,” Rio Mesa Coach Steve Wolf said. “After the first quarter, we adjusted. I knew we had to keep the ball from Heckmann.”

Another pointer Wolf gave his team was to keep Westlake from shooting four shots. The Warriors had made 20 of 27 free throws against Palisades, but made just six of 11 against Rio Mesa.

Wolf and Westlake Coach Roy Gilmore were given the luxury of being allowed to shout instructions to their team from standing positions. A new Southern Section rule prohibits coaches from standing, but because the court at Beverly Hills is raised above the benches, the rule was modified for the tournament.

The court is raised because it covers the swimming pool and the strong scent of chlorine pervades the floor. When Rio Mesa players are swimming in a backyard pool next summer, the smell of chlorine will, no doubt, remind them of this sweet win.

Rio Mesa’s only loss was at the hands of cross-town rival Camarillo, 51-50, in the season opener.

In consolation bracket games, Hart edged Thousand Oaks, 43-41, and Bishop Montgomery defeated Saugus, 60-43.

Culver City, which Friday defeated Crossroads, 77-69, in a semifinal, will face Rio Mesa tonight at 8:30 p.m. in the tournament final. Hart will play Bishop Montgomery at 3:30 for the consolation title. Westlake plays Crossroads for third place at 7 p.m.