CARSON BASKETALL TOURNAMENT : Rolling Hills Blows Big Lead, Loses to Poly on 4-Point Play

Cliff Warren had just witnessed one of the stranger sights of the summer Wednesday afternoon in the second round of the Carson High tournament. His Rolling Hills High team blew a 17-point advantage, scratched back into the lead in the final moments, then lost when Long Beach Poly’s Troy Jones banked in a three-pointer and then converted a free throw for a rare four-point play.

Warren knew exactly what had transpired in Rolling Hills’ 79-78 loss:

“It was just a regular summer game with a little bit of everything in it. It was kind of typical for summer play except that it was a little more exciting.”

Rolling Hills led 78-75 with the clock winding down when the Titans forced the Jackrabbits into taking an awkward shot. However, Jones muscled in a 25-foot, three-point attempt that bounced off the backboard and through the net and was nudged by Mark Tesar on the play. He strode to the line and calmly sank the game-winning free throw.

The Titans got the ball back with 12 seconds remaining but John Hardy’s shot was blocked. They got the ball back again on a turnover but were whistled for a three-second violation and Long Beach Poly came away with the victory.

“I was fouled on that play and they (the referees) never called it,” said Hardy, who led all scorers with 38 points. “Then they (Poly players) were holding me at the top of the key when the three seconds was called.”

The Titans threatened to put Long Beach Poly away early when they jumped to a 38-21 lead behind Hardy’s strong inside game. However, the Jackrabbits adjusted to Rolling Hills’ collapsing zone and went on a 17-4 run that cut the lead to 42-38 at the half.

“We just changed our offense to a movement offense,” said Jackrabbits Coach Chris Kinder. “And our defense forced turnovers. The way I look at it is: You make your own breaks the same way you make your own mistakes.

“In the first half we made our mistakes, then started to get the breaks.”

Poly mounted a 22-12 run in the opening minutes of the second half to take a 62-54 lead, but Hardy scored the next eight points to tie the game.

The teams traded baskets until Rolling Hills’ Steve Clover gave his team a 76-73 lead with a three-pointer.

The Jackrabbits scored the next basket but Hardy’s two free throws put Rolling Hills in the lead 78-75.

The Titans pressured Jones all the way up court, forcing him to take an off-balance, twisting jumper from a distance that seemed out of his range. However, the ball found its mark.

“That was the shot we wanted him to take,” Warren said. “We did just about everything right on that play. But that’s OK, we still played pretty well and I’d never seen a four-point play before.”

Carson 93, South Torrance 71--Vince Washington paced the host Colts with 27 points while Ray Bennett chipped in with 16 as Carson scored an easy second-round victory.

Lance Holmes led South with 22 points, Brian Diederich had 13 and Tom Adams knocked down 12.

Torrey Pines 83, Palos Verdes 70--The Sea Kings trailed 24-6 midway through the first period but cut Torrey Pines’ advantage to 45-31 at half time and closed to within nine points with eight minutes remaining.

Ian Chatfield led Palos Verdes with 21 points while teammates Craig Nagle and Andy Jacobsen chipped in with 13 apiece. Kevin Flanagan had 31 for Torrey Pines and Courtney Miller scored 28.

Dominguez 87, North Torrance 43--The Saxons trailed 33-29 at half time but were outscored, 27-0, to start the second half. Brian Jurado led North with nine points.

Artesia 84, Bishop Montgomery 58--Artesia’s Ed O’Bannon showed why he’s rated one of the top juniors in Southern California by scoring 31 points to lead the Pioneers and teammate DeAndre Austin chipped in 20.

Darrell Daniel paced the Knights with 12 while Joe Hadnott scored 10.

Hawthorne 51, Santa Monica 40--Hawthorne trailed 22-18 at intermission but the Cougars took control in the second half and scored an easy victory.

Mac Wells scored 22 for Hawthorne and Floyd Owens chipped in 10.

Morningside 77, Crossroads 57--Chris Vance scored 19 points and Jeff Crowe 16 for Morningside.