Keefe’s 22 Points Are Even Bigger : Woodbridge Center Outplays Walker of Brea-Olinda

The box score may show that Monday night’s Battle of the Big Men--Brea-Olinda High School’s 6-foot 10-inch senior Kevin Walker and Woodbridge’s 6-7 sophomore Adam Keefe--came out even, since both centers had 22 points in the championship game of the Brea-Olinda Tournament.

But Keefe was the clear winner, scoring 12 points to lead a second-half comeback that lifted the Warriors to a 58-49 victory and the tournament championship in Brea’s gym.

Keefe made 8 of 12 shots from the field and 6 of 8 free throws, including four foul shots in the final 2:14, to help Woodbridge pull away. The Warriors trailed, 34-25, at halftime, but Keefe scored the first three baskets of the third period to rally Woodbridge,and Brea went on to play a poor second half.

Walker, who is headed for UCLA on a basketball scholarship, made 6 of 20 shots from the floor and fouled out with 2:37 left. He picked up his fourth foul and left the game with 2:52 to go in the third quarter. He didn’t return until the 6:10 mark of the fourth.

Walker then scored five points to get the Wildcats even, 47-47, with 4:10 left, but Woodbridge went on an 11-2 run to close the game. Mike Sullivan scored six points in the final quarter, and reserves Ryan Bettencourt and Vince Bryan each added four for the Warriors (11-2).

The Wildcats, despite Walker’s poor shooting (5 of 15 in the first half), were in good shape with a nine-point lead at halftime, but they missed their first 10 shots of the third period and scored only four points, Walker’s two free throws with 5:50 left and Doug Dossey’s basket with a minute to go.

Woodbridge scored eight points in the third quarter but made 4 of its 8 shots and gained the momentum heading into the last period. With Walker out of the lineup for most of the fourth, the Wildcats seemed disoriented on offense and turned over the ball several times. Woodbridge took advantage and outscored Brea, 25-11, in the fourth period.

WOODBRIDGE (58)--Rounaghi 3, Murphy 11, Sullivan 10, Keefe 22, Bettencourt 4, Bryan 8.

BREA-OLINDA (49)--Francis 10, Dossey 6, Hartshorne 4, Walker 22, Tousey 4, Thomas 3.

In other Brea-Olinda Tournament action:

El Dorado 66, University 62--The Golden Hawks (11-2) trailed until a basket by Jim Sammon put them ahead, 55-54, with 5:25 to go in the third-place game. The Trojans (4-6) played well, but contributed to their eventual downfall by committing 22 turnovers.

EL DORADO (66)--Bailey 5, Krapf 3, Glade 8, Sammon 26, Hanna 14, Stevens 6, Byers 4.

UNIVERSITY (62)--Warren 2, Olin 20, Stolzoff 14, Glassen 17, Winslow 6, Ferrell 1.

Pomona 70, Pacifica 60--Tyrone Greer helped the Red Devils earn fifth place by scoring 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter.

PACIFICA (60)--Bonham 10, Brodt 8, Honda 2, Short 12, Shelton 10, Chapman 16, McDowell 2.

POMONA (70)--Collins 14, Lee 15, Newsom 4, Greer 22, Owens 10, Bush 5.

Fullerton 80, Trabuco Hills JV 40--The Hornets took seventh place as four players scored in double figures.

FULLERTON (80)--Tallant 16, Zerga 20, Wilber 8, Hetland 12, Lentz 10, Perez 4, Harrill 4, Massey 6.

TRABUCO HILLS (40)--Welch 13, Hallett 1, Swanwick 8, Kriech 8, Poulos 8, Gilbert 2.

Anaheim 42, Sunny Hills 31--Tony Robuffo’s 23 points and 12 rebounds lifted the Colonists (7-4) to victory in the 11th-place game. Gistlinck also had 10 points and nine rebounds.

SUNNY HILLS (31)--Henderson 2, Moore 2, Carpenter 2, Estes 2, Chisum 8, Pearson 6, Mattais 2, Lee 2, Drakos 5.

ANAHEIM (42)--Pacheco 2, Barber 2, Gistlinck 10, Robuffo 23, Johnston 3, Trigg 2.