Division V Basketball Playoffs : Bishop’s Rolls Past Julian, 60-45 : County’s Only Unbeaten Team Runs Record to 21-0

Bishop’s School boys’ team found out Friday night that waltzing through the San Diego Section Division V playoffs might not be as easy as it originally looked.

Both Friday’s game against Julian (12-12) and the rest of the games leading up to final looked like easy pickings for Bishop’s, at 21-0 the only undefeated team in the county. Bishop’s had beaten every team to make the quarterfinals except Calipatria, which it did not play.

That confidence, or maybe overconfidence, may have made Friday’s game closer than expected.

Bishop’s beat Julian, 60-45, to move into Wednesday’s semifinals against Imperial, a 56-45 winner over La Jolla Country Day Friday night.

Julian was a team that Bishop’s had beaten, 83-41, only last week.

Because of that, Bishop’s Coach Ren Marquette said Friday’s score would probably have a sobering effect on his team.

“They won’t be overconfident after this one,” Marquette said. “That was good for us.”

The game started predictably. Bishop’s press was too tough for the slower Julian team, which committed four turnovers early on. Bishop’s scored on 9 of its first 12 possessions and led, 20-2, at one point.

At that point, something happened to Bishop’s.

Julian’s Ken Teters made two three pointers, Travis Denmark swished another and Dean Osuna had five rebounds. Julian trailed by only eight, 26-18, with 1:47 left in the half.

As Julian started to come back, it appeared that Bishop’s was overconfident to the point of losing momentum.

Bishop’s leading scorer, Kamal Assaf, said it wasn’t overconfidence, just a funk the team gets into at times.

“We lapse into bad habits,” said Assaf, who finished with 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting. “We were playing like the Lakers in the first quarter--running, getting the fast breaks. It’s just that we get a little loose, too loose.”

Bishop’s came out strong after halftime and opened up the game. The press forced turnovers and Bishop’s capitalized with fast breaks, outscoring Julian, 20-8, to take a 48-26 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Teter and Travis Small hit three-pointers as Julian cut the score to 54-35 in the fourth quarter. But Bishop’s never led by fewer than 11 after that.

Teters finished with 17 points, including four three-pointers. for Julian.

One problem Bishop’s won’t have through the remainder of the playoffs is with its inside game. Marquette said Julian, whose tallest player is 6-foot 2-inches, is the tallest team in the division, other than Bishop’s. Bishop’s dominated Julian inside.

Josh Peterson, a 6-4 forward, scored 14 points on 7 of 10 shooting and had 8 rebounds. Chris McKenna, a 6-6 forward, added 10 points inside. Assaf led the team with nine rebounds.

In other Division V boys games:

Francis Parker 85, Lutheran 73--Dan Frazee made 11 of 21 field goals and 8 of 9 free throws on his way to 33 points for host Parker (13-9). Lutheran (12-10) fell behind by 13 early, but cut the margin to two points with 4:30 to play.

GIRLS

Lutheran 52, Borrego Springs 41--Hanne Norby had 16 points, 22 rebounds and 7 assists to lead second-seeded Lutheran to the victory at home. Lutheran (18-6) led 32-9 at the half. Natalie Jennings led Borrego Springs (12-10) with 15 points.