Sea View League : Murphy Leads Woodbridge Past Estancia

Senior guard Mike Murphy scored 25 points, 11 in the third quarter, as Woodbridge High School pulled away from Estancia on its way to a 70-55 win in Sea View League boys’ basketball action Friday night in Costa Mesa.

Murphy had been held to just seven points in the first half, but after the Warriors made a halftime adjustment--moving Murphy to the high post in Woodbridge’s double-post offense--he became more effective.

“Once we got him closer to the basket, he was able to get some easier shots,” Woodbridge Coach Bill Shannon said. “And once they started to double-team him, he was able to dish the ball off.”

The main benefactors of Murphy’s passes (he had seven assists, all in the second half) were forward Vince Bryan and center Adam Keefe. Bryan, a junior, scored 15 points, 8 in the second half. Sophomore Keefe scored 16 points, 10 in the second half. He was also the game’s leading rebounder with 11.

Keefe scored six points and pulled down six rebounds to spark the Warriors to a 15-11 first-quarter lead. He picked up his second foul with 6:04 left in the half and did not return to play until after intermission. Woodbridge led at halftime, 30-24.

The Warriors capitalized at the free-throw line, making 24 of 29 shots, including 15 of 18 in the fourth quarter.

Woodbridge also capitalized on the restrictive bench rule, when Estancia Coach Joe Reid stood up after a missed foul shot and was called for being off the bench. During the ensuing argument, one of his assistants was whistled for a second technical.

Murphy, who was 6 of 7 from the line, made 3 of 4 technical free throws and the Warriors scored twice more when Keefe made both ends of a one-and-one to open up a 53-41 lead with 5:43 to play.

The Eagles had rallied to move within six, 47-41, before the double-technicals. Junior guard Kyle Mooney had scored five consecutive points to start the fourth quarter on a 15-foot jumper and, following a steal, a lay up and free throw.

With the win, the Warriors (4-3, 15-5) are in a second-place tie with Newport Harbor, University and Laguna Beach. Estancia fell to 3-4 in league and 10-8 overall.

Woodbridge, Newport Harbor, University and Laguna Beach all trail Corona del Mar by two games.

WOODBRIDGE (70)--Bettencourt 2, Bryan 15, Keefe 16, Murphy 25, Townsend 2, York 3, Sullivan 7.

ESTANCIA (55)--Mooney 11, Rusick 3, Tift 10, Covey 5, Trejo 8, Pickney 5 Brazell 9, Baker 4.

In other Sea View League action:

Corona del Mar 45, Saddleback 43--Bryant Walton won the scoring battle with Jeff Fryer, but the Sea Kings’ aggressive defense prevailed. Walton, the county’s No. 6 scorer with a 23.7 average going into the game, hit for 29 points. He also had 14 rebounds and 7 assists. Fryer, the leading scorer in the county with an average of 29.1 points per game, managed only 20 after getting 18 in the first half.

Saddleback had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer, but Walton’s midcourt shot fell short. The win improves Corona del Mar’s record to 6-1 in league play and 16-3 overall. Saddleback falls to 3-4 and 8-9.

CORONA DEL MAR (45)--Fryer 20, Christiansen 4, Bearbower 11, Green 2, McGrath 8.

SADDLEBACK (43)--Walton 29, Deal 4, Dottin 4, Ontiveros 4, Campbell 2.

Laguna Beach 57, University 48--The Artists (4-3, 10-7) were led by Scott Herdman’s 18 points in its win over the Trojans in Irvine. Herdman, a junior forward, scored 12 in the final period. It was a three-point game with three minutes left, but the Artists pulled away. Coby Naess was the high scorer for both teams, as the Laguna Beach guard had 20 points.

Lasse Glassen scored 16 points, and Steve Stolzoff added 14 but it was not enough as University fell to 4-3 in league and 8-9 overall.

LAGUNA BEACH (57)--Naess 20, Fortune 2, Elfsten 15, Herdman 18, Lawler 2.

UNIVERSITY (48)--Olin 8, Warren 2, Winslow 6, Glassen 16, Stolzoff 14, Ferrell 2.

Newport Harbor 82, Costa Mesa 56--The Sailors stayed in a second-place tie with a win over the Mustangs at Costa Mesa. Newport Harbor is 4-3 in league and 10-7 overall. Costa Mesa fell to 0-7 and 1-13.