ORANGE COUNTY PREP BASKETBALL : Marina Defeats Diablos

There was plenty of excitement Wednesday night as Marina and Mission Viejo high schools got together for a nonleague basketball game. We’re talking big-time excitement that came at the cost of big-time consistency.

The teams played a streaky game that ranged from defensive to explosive to sloppy. Marina came away with a 52-50 victory at Mission Viejo.

In the end, it was the third-quarter play of Marina forward Steve Guild and the fourth-quarter play of Viking center Mark Georgeson that put Marina (11-2) on top.

The score was tied halftime, 22-22, but Guild’s eight points helped Marina outscore Mission Viejo, 16-10, in the third quarter to take a 38-32 lead.

Up to that point, Guild had been more or less invisible on the court.

“He really wasn’t doing that much in the first half,” said Steve Popovich, Marina coach. “I told him at halftime that he had to become more aggressive and look for his shot.”

Guild finished with 14 points. Georgeson, a 6-foot 10-inch senior who has signed a letter of intent with the University of Arizona, led Marina in scoring with 17 points.

Georgeson scored only five points in the first half, but had six points in the fourth quarter and controlled the key area in Marina’s zone defense.

That zone forced Mission Viejo (9-3) to look to the perimeter for its points. Of the Diablos’ 10 first-half field goals, 7 were from 15 feet or farther.

Marina also dominated the boards, outrebounding Mission Viejo, 32-28. Guild had 10 rebounds and Georgeson 9.

“Mark didn’t have one of his most consistent games tonight,” Popovich said. “He never seemed to get set. But I thought he played great in the fourth quarter,”

Marina had a 45-38 lead midway through the fourth quarter, and a 50-46 lead with 47 seconds left in the game. But as Marina was trying to take control of the game, Mission Viejo guard Todd Matthews decided to go on a scoring binge. Mattews scored 10 in the fourth quarter, including 6 in the final 50 seconds.

Mission Viejo was led by Jeff Herdman, who had a game-high 18 points before fouling out late in the game.

It was Herdman who helped Mission Viejo to a quick start as the Diablos took an 8-2 lead midway through the first quarter. Marina made a run and closed to within three points, 14-11, at quarter’s end.

That lead held up until 6:45 of the second quarter when Marina forward Dan Floyd made a layup and was fouled.