Caynon Loses in a ‘Rematch’ to Hart, 47-45

It may not have been football, but it was still Canyon against Hart.

And when the two schools’ basketball teams got together Friday night in the second round of the Hart tournament, the game, much like the teams’ football contest last September, was a tight defensive struggle filled with mistakes.

This time, however, Hart came out on top, 47-45, to advance to the championship semifinals tonight against Simi Valley.

Canyon’s Darrin Moloznik missed an eight-footer with seven seconds left which would have tied the game. Hart was then able to run out the clock and improve its record to 7-5.

The game was marred at times by near fights and violent fouls on each side.

Just 3:12 into the game, Canyon’s Stuart Sayre was ejected for shoving Hart’s Eric Arnold into the wall behind the basket on a layup attempt.

With just over three minutes left in the third quarter, Canyon’s Jeff Paskwietz and Hart’s Tom Ewing had to be restrained from going after each other.

When the two bitter rivals finally settled down to playing, neither one did too well.

Turnovers and missed free throws were the dominating factors most of the night.

Hart trailed, 21-20, at the half, but forged ahead behind the play of Scott Gilmore.

The 6-4 senior scored 10 of his 13 points in the third quarter to give the Indians a 38-33 lead entering the final eight minutes.

Hart had only one field goal in the fourth quarter, but made seven free throws to drop Canyon to 7-5.

David Lee’s two free throws with 19 seconds left gave Hart a 3-point lead. After Moloznik made two free throws with 13 seconds left, Hart’s Mike Michelson made one of two with 12 seconds left for the final score.

Next up for Hart will be Simi Valley, a 54-44 winner over San Fernando.

The Pioneers, with 23 points from sophomore Don MacLean improved their record to 10-1.

Simi Valley, the top-seeded team in the tournament, survived but Westlake, the third-seeded team did not.

The Warriors scored only four points in the fourth quarter in dropping a 59-55 decision to Beverly Hills.

The Warriors (8-3) led, 51-49, entering the final eight minutes, but were held to one field goal and two free throws by the Normans (5-7).

Beverly Hills didn’t exactly burn up the nets in the fourth quarter, scoring just 10 points.

But with the score tied at 55, the Normans’ Greg Barnes came up with two clutch plays.

First, he grabbed a pass intended for Westlake’s Dave Heckmann, dribbled the length of the court and scored on a left-handed lay-up to put the Normans ahead, 55-53, with 1:23 left.

Then with 1:12 left, Westlake’s Greg Smith was called for traveling. Fifteen seconds later, Barnes hit two free throws for a four-point Norman lead.

Paul Keenan, who had 18 points for Westlake, made two free throws with 0:45 left, but Wayne Thompson iced the game with two more free throws for the Normans with 16 seconds left.

Lionel McPherson led Beverly Hills with 17 points, while Smith had 10 for Westlake.

Beverly Hills will play Marshalll in one semifinal game tonight at 6 p.m.

The Barristers, with 38 points from Jerry Simon, defeated Crescenta Valley, 85-66.

Harvey Mason, who had 38 points in the first tournament game, had 40 this time for Crescenta Valley.

In consolation bracket action:

Alemany jumped to a 15-point lead over Palmdale after one quarter and went on to post a 63-39 win, moving the Indians into the consolation semifinals against Antelope Valley, which eliminated Burroughs of Burbank, 66-53.

Alemany was led by Bill Lucid’s 18 points. Travis Bargeman added 14 for the winners.

The other consolation semifinal matches St. Francis against Notre Dame.

Both teams won in overtime, Notre Dame beating Quartz Hill, 46-42, and St. Francis stopping Hueneme, 68-64.

John Perak was the high scorer for Notre Dame, collecting 14 points.