Prep Basketball : Pacific Coast League : Woodbridge Leaves No Doubt Who’s 1st

Well, it was nice while it lasted.

Laguna Beach High School’s heady hold on a share of first place in the Pacific Coast League came to a crashing end Wednesday night, at the hands of--who else?--Woodbridge High School and Adam Keefe.

The Warriors (13-5, 5-0), playing at Laguna Beach, crushed the Artists, 76-52.

Laguna Beach (9-9, 4-1), a definite dark horse in the league race before the season began, made a respectable showing in the first half, never taking the lead but trailing by just one point after the first quarter.

At the end of the first half, Woodbridge opened things up on a five-point play by guard Rob Lee. Lee was fouled after hitting a three-point shot and made both ends of a one-and-one, giving the Warriors a 36-26 halftime lead.

But it was in the third quarter when the real damage was done. Keefe, Woodbridge’s star center who was already in double figures with 13 points, shot a perfect 8 for 8 from the field and hit two free throws in the third quarter, putting the game out of reach.

Keefe, who finished with 34 points and 17 rebounds, left the game with 2:33 to play.

“I’m sort of nervous,” Woodbridge Coach Bill Shannon said. “I guess I don’t think leads are safe against (Laguna Beach).”

Laguna Beach scored 23 points in the fourth quarter for a come-from-behind victory last Friday against Trabuco Hills.

Pete Schmitt--the 6-foot 3-inch center with the unenviable task of matching up against 6-9 Keefe, last season’s 2-A player of the year--had a word of advice for future Woodbridge opponents. What can you do to stop Keefe?

“Nothing,” Schmitt said with a shrug. “They’re just too good.”

Schmitt, a wide receiver on the Artists’ football team, was the only Laguna Beach player in double figures. He finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

The Artists shot 25% from the floor in the game, and made 16 of 26 free throws.

Rob Lee finished with 13 points, including three three-point shots, for Woodbridge.

Costa Mesa 65, Orange 54--The Mustangs won a league game for the first time in three seasons, breaking a streak of 24 straight losses. Paul Kos, a senior guard, led the Mustangs with 19 points. Timmy Nguyen added 16 points for the Mustangs (4-14, 1-4). Orange is 4-14, 1-4.

Laguna Hills 62, Trabuco Hills 61--Rick Kawada made a short jump shot with 10 seconds left, giving the Hawks the win at Trabuco Hills. Trabuco Hills’ Teddy Colburn had made a three-point shot with 30 seconds left to give the Mustangs a 61-60 lead. Mike Smedes’ 21 points led Laguna Hills (11-9, 3-2). Trabuco Hills is 11-8, 2-3.