SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : 4-A Division : Defense Stops CdM and Fryer

What hopes Corona del Mar High School had of beating Dominguez in the second round of the Southern Section 4-A playoffs were slapped down early in the first quarter by Dons guard Marlon Vaughn.

Vaughn blocked the first shot of Sea Kings’ high scoring forward Jeff Fryer, and effectively neutralized him throughout the game to lead Dominguez (24-4) to a 53-37 win Tuesday at Compton College. The Dons will play Santa Monica in the quarterfinals.

Fryer--Orange County’s leading scorer this season with a 27.8 average--had scored 41 points in Corona del Mar’s opening-round win over El Modena.

But he ended this game with just 12 points, on 5-of-16 shooting from the field. After his first shot was blocked, his next three shots did not touch the rim. Air balls. He missed his first six shots. Frustrated throughout, Fryer fouled out with seven minutes left in the game.

“I think Vaughn’s first block may have had the biggest impact on the game,” said Ernest Carr, Dominguez coach.

The Sea Kings (20-5), without their big scorer to lead them, missed their first 10 shots as Dominguez built a 10-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

The Dons blocked 11 shots in the game. Vaughn got his one to begin the game, and then center Chris Ceballos got the other 10. It was a Ceballos’ block that killed the Sea Kings’ last real rally.

Corona del Mar had cut the Dons’ lead to eight points, 30-22, midway through the third quarter. Fryer drove the lane only to have his shot blocked and to have Dominguez convert the block to a layup. Dominguez went on to score seven more unanswered points and led, 39-22 with 47 seconds left in the quarter.

“If we had got that shot we’d have cut the lead to six, and who knows?” said Jack Errion, Corona del Mar coach. “But we had a lot of trouble putting our shots in. We had trouble all night.”

It was Dominguez’s quick-helping man defense that did Fryer and the Sea Kings in. The Dons specifically worked on how to stop Fryer for three days. They even practiced after beating Hawthorne, 64-59, in the first round.

Fryer was hounded by Vaughn wherever he went. When the Sea Kings attempted to screen Vaughn, Renny Ingram quickly stepped out to help defensively. Of Fryer’s 12 points, none came off the Sea Kings’ patterned offense. His five field goals came from transition layups and followed shots.

Ceballos had 12 points. Vaughn 4 points and 12 assists.