Southern Section Boys’ Basketball Playoffs

Saddleback 86, Burbank 61--For one quarter, it was hard to tell the difference between Saddleback, top-seeded in the 3-A Division, and upstart Burbank, a third-place team from the Foothill League.

Upset-minded Burbank controlled the tempo and played the role of aggressor during a 16-16 first period. But Saddleback went on a rampage to open the second quarter, scoring nine unanswered points in less than two minutes and never trailed thereafter.

Burbank’s Mike Nash scored 16 points.

Montclair Prep 77, Pasadena Poly 72--Duane Johnson’s two free throws gave the Mounties an insurmountable 75-72 lead with 17 seconds left in the 1-A Division first-round game.

J. T. Billingslea hit two free throws seconds later to provide the final margin of victory. Billingslea and Tom James, both freshmen, were instrumental in Montclair Prep’s 11th consecutive victory.

Trailing, 49-48, late in the third quarter, Montclair Prep (17-6) went on a 6-0 surge when Johnson (16 points) went to the bench with his fourth foul. James scored four points during the surge and Billingslea added two.

Junior forward Craig Handschu dominated play in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of his game-high 32 points as the Mounties never relinquished the lead. Teammate David Sanger scored only 2 points, but he pulled down 22 rebounds and had a school-record 10 blocked shots.

L. A. Baptist 62, Kern Valley 50--L. A. Baptist made 11 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter to hold off Kern Valley in a 1-A game at home.

The Knights relied on a balanced scoring attack as four starters scored in double figures. James Hoback scored a game-high 19 points. Teammate Brett Craig grabbed 10 rebounds.

L. A. Baptist overcame a severe height disadvantage. Kern Valley’s front line stood 6-7, 6-3, and 6-3. The Knights’ front line stands 6-0, 6-0, 5-8.

Beaumont 68, Chaminade 56--Chaminade was unable to contain 6-11 center Scott Haskin, who dominated the 1-A game with 39 points and 10 blocked shots.

Beaumont opened the contest with a 22-4 run but was unable to put the game out of reach. Chaminade (16-10) implemented a fast break and narrowed the gap to 35-26 at halftime.

Led by John Carolan (11 points and 8 rebounds) and Andy Connolly (10 points), the Eagles drew closer in the second half. Colin Havert made a three-point shot with 1:04 remaining to trim Beaumont’s lead to 62-56.

Cabrillo 74, Calabasas 63--Calabasas attempted 24 three-point shots and made 11, but the Coyotes blew a 49-46 halftime lead and were eliminated on their own court in a 2-A game.

Jon Drezner led the Coyotes with 28 points, the same as his season average. Drezner made 4 of 5 three-point shots and grabbed 16 rebounds. Teammate Sean Obusek scored 19 points, including 6-of-14 three-point shots.

Oakwood 66, North County Christian 31--Mitchell Butler scored 14 first-quarter points and finished with a game-high 31 to lead Oakwood in a Small Schools game at Campbell Hall. Butler also grabbed 17 rebounds.

The Gorillas took a 37-10 lead at the half after they outscored North County Christian, 19-2, in the second quarter.