Brea-Olinda’s Balance Proves Too Much for El Segundo, 59-43

Brea-Olinda used balanced scoring and an aggressive defense to defeat El Segundo, 59-43, Friday night at Brea in the first round of the Southern Section 3-A playoffs.

The Wildcats (23-4) got scoring from both their front line and back court. Senior center Kevin Walker, who will attend UCLA next year, led all scorers with 25 points and added 5 rebounds. Senior guard Vince Francis added 14 points, and senior forward Mike Tousey scored 13.

“We got balanced scoring, which took pressure off Walker, and it really made a big difference,” Brea Coach Gene Lloyd said.

The Wildcats (23-4), who tied a school record with their 14th straight win Friday, raced to a 14-2 lead mainly on the play of Francis and Walker, who scored in the key and from long range.

Brea went undefeated in the Orange League this season, but the Wildcats, who have been defeated in either the first or second round of the playoffs in the past five years, did not want to lose in the opening round at home.

Said Lloyd: “We were a little tense at first, but we settled down once we got into our flow.”

El Segundo, which finished at 15-11, was lead by senior forward Dean Booher’s 15 points. Eagle standouts, center Scott Talanoa and forward Darryl Griffin, fouled out midway through the fourth quarter.