SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : 3-A Division : Thumbs Up for Walker, Brea-Olinda

Brea-Olinda High School forward Kevin Walker scored 33 points and had 16 rebounds to lead the Wildcats someplace they have not been the last six years--the third round of the playoffs.

The Wildcats defeated Los Alamitos, 69-58, Tuesday at Millikan High School in Long Beach in front of 1,200 spectators in the the CIF Southern Section 3-A playoffs.

The UCLA-bound Walker dominated from the start, scoring 12 points in the first quarter and 21 in the first half.

Besides playing for a chance to advance closer to a CIF title, Walker had added incentive because he was playing with his next coach, UCLA’s Walt Hazzard, watching in the stands.

“I spotted him as soon as he walked in just before the game,” Walker said. “He looked at me and gave me a thumbs’ up. It was all I needed. I was really playing hard out there from the start.”

But Walker had plenty of help in the fourth quarter, as the Wildcats erased a a two-point Griffin lead, 42-40, mostly from the free-throw line.

The Wildcats were 19 of 26 from the line in the final quarter, including Walker’s 6 of 6. Brea-Olinda was 32 of 41 from the line for the game.

After Walker tied the score at 42-42 with a 10-foot jump shot, the Griffins turned the ball over the first of five straight times.

Walker was fouled and made both ends of a one-and-one, giving Brea the lead, 44-42. A layup by junior guard Ron Thomas made it 46-42 and Brea continued to advance the lead as Los Alamitos continued to turn over the ball.

The Griffins (18-7) only scored two baskets during the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, but were still within six points, 57-51, with 1:45 left.

Senior guard Vince Francis, who played the game with limited vision after being poked in the eye in practice last week, made both ends of a one-and-one, and seventh-man Tim Williams did the same thing twice to open the lead to 63-51 with 1:01 remaining.

The Wildcats advanced to the quarterfinals to play defending 3-A champion Morningside on Friday night.

Aside from Walker’s 33 points, Francis scored 10, sixth-man Ron Thomas 14 and Williams 6.

Senior forward Ryan Blossey led Los Alamitos with 18 points, and senior guard J. T. Snow added 17. Chris Anderson was the Griffins’ leading rebounder with 14.