SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : 4-A Division : Capo Valley Streaks Past Eisenhower

Capistrano Valley High School defeated Eisenhower by 34 points in the second round of the CIF Southern Section 4-A playoffs Tuesday in spite of the fact that the Eagles are a good team and even played a good game.

So what does that mean, losing 86-52?

First, that the Cougars are playing their best basketball of the season right when they need it the most.

And second, that simply being good is not good enough against Capistrano Valley.

Playing the Eagles for the second time this season, the Cougars raced to a 40-24 halftime lead at Saddleback College Tuesday and were never seriously challenged from there.

The Cougars at their best offer a balanced attack, but Nathan Call is as good a place to start as any. Call, Brigham Young-bound, came up with what his coach described as one of his best efforts of the season, leading all scorers with 27 points, geting 13 assists and 5 rebounds.

Call is that rare player who continually works to make his teammates better, yet is able to make a contribution without playing selfishly.

With the score tied early in the first quarter at 8-8, Call rebounded a missed shot by Scott Stark, hung in the air on his rebounded shot long enough to draw the foul and soon had himself a three-point play. Capistrano Valley never trailed from there.

Later, with the Cougars leading 34-24 near the end of the first half, Call sank a corner jump shot, stole the inbounds pass, scored, and after a missed Eisenhower shot, fed Shawn Reed for another basket to put his team ahead by 16 points at the half.

All the same, Capistrano Valley’s offense does not begin and end with Call. Reed scored 18 points and Stark added 14, both players on outside shooting, and Jason Trask added 11 points, mostly from inside.

“Tonight we played about as well as we’re going to play,” Capistrano Valley Coach Mark Thornton said. “That was a good team we played tonight, remember.”