SAN DIEGO PREP BASKETBALL : University’s Giles Solves the Kearny Defense

Kearny High School’s boys basketball team had used a diamond-and-one to shut down a star opponent before, but the defense was not nearly as effective Wednesday night.

So the host Komets, lost, 67-60, to University, whose standout guard, Sean Giles, scored 27 points.

The victory kept University (2-0 in league, 10-6 overall) tied with Mission Bay for first place in the City Western League.

Kearny had hope to contain Giles the way it had limited La Jolla’s star guard, Yancy Brown, to 10 points while beating the Vikings, 64-60, last week.

“We got too much Giles,” was how Kearny Coach Bill Peterson put it.

Aside from isolating one player on Giles, Kearny played its usual tightly packed zone defense that dares opponents to, as Peterson puts it, “beat us from 20 feet.” Giles made plenty of shots over the Komet defense, as did fellow guard Brian Schmitt (16 points).

University trailed by seven points late in the first half. But the Don guards forced three turnovers, which led to baskets that cut Kearny’s lead to 33-31 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Dons quickly gained the lead. The Komets (1-1, 10-8) remained close, though, and had the ball and a chance to tie the score with less than one minute to play.

But University regained the ball, and Giles scored a three-point play that put the Dons ahead, 65-60.

Forward Steve Daley scored 25 points to lead Kearny, and Kevin Archer added 10.