HIGH SCHOOLS : Basketball : Smith Gives St. Francis a Lift : Football Player Regains Court Sense in Timely Win Over La Salle

St. Francis Coach John Jordan predicted that he would have to wait for Matt Smith’s court savvy to come around. Smith, a defensive end on the football team, needed to re-establish his “feel” for the hardwood.

If Smith’s performance in the Golden Knights’ 74-70 win at La Salle on Tuesday is an accurate indication, Smith is back in form.

“He’s finally got his legs back,” Jordan said of Smith, who scored 14 points and had 9 rebounds in his first start. Teammates Dominic Mumulo and Jeff Dyrek each added 14 points and guard Allen Freemon also scored 14 on 4 3-point shots and 2 free throws.

St. Francis (6-4) led by as many as 11 points in its first meeting with La Salle in 12 years. The Knights won their third consecutive game.

The Lancers (6-6), who were led by forward John Busarello (15 points) and guard Bindo Valencia (17 points), hit 3 3-point shots with less than a minute to play to shave the deficit.

Glendale 60, Notre Dame 59--The Knights lost their third consecutive game in disappointing fashion, blowing a 16-point third-quarter lead in a nonleague game on their home floor.

Notre Dame’s Brian Jones led all players with 28 points. But Glendale’s Chad Blatchley countered with a team-high 23 points and teammate Robert DeTolve added 16, including the game-winning jump shot. Glendale (3-5) outscored Notre Dame (4-6) in the fourth quarter, 20-10.

Crespi 64, Saugus 52--Chris McGee scored 5 of his game-high 24 points in the third quarter as Crespi, which led, 31-28, at halftime, pulled away to win the nonleague game at Crespi.

Crespi led, 47-38, after 3 quarters, then controlled the ball in the final period.

Ken Lynch scored 16 points, 8 in the fourth quarter, for Crespi (4-5). Teammate Pat Brady scored 15.

Sean Legaux scored 12 points to lead Saugus (2-5). Aaron Bolpe added 11.

Radford 77, Burroughs 50--After making 21 of 23 free throws in an impressive semifinal win over Roosevelt on Monday, the Indians hit just 6 of 16 free throws and shot a paltry 38% from the field to lose the Roosevelt tournament final in Honolulu.

Radford, the No. 1-ranked team in Hawaii, took a 35-21 lead at the intermission and never looked back.

Burroughs forward Dan Murphy scored a team-high 18 points--1 less than all other starters combined. Center S. J. Boldvich was held to 2 points.

San Fernando 77, El Dorado JV 46--Angel Sotelo had 13 points and teammate Michael Wynn added 9 points and 12 rebounds as the Tigers cruised to an easy win in the consolation quarterfinals of the Sundevil tournament in Las Vegas.

San Fernando, initially baffled by El Dorado’s full-court press, was held to 12 points in the first quarter. However, the defensive scheme did not last long. The Tigers got into the offensive groove in the second half and outscored El Dorado, 41-20.

Reserve Marco Renteria scored 7 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, most coming off the front end of the fast break.

Simi Valley 68, Basic 62--Forward Steve Carnes scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Pioneers in the quarterfinal round of the Sundevil tournament.

Big Bear 79, Grace Community 77 (OT)--David Burke’s layup gave Big Bear the margin of victory in the first round of the Hesperia Christian tournament.

Trailing, 68-66, with 4 seconds remaining in regulation, Scott Lechuga, who led Grace Community with 33 points, hit a 15-foot bank shot to send the game into overtime. Grace Community had a chance for a final shot in the extra period, but Lechuga’s pass was intercepted as time expired.

Grace Community (5-1) played the overtime period without starters Chad Hankinson (12 points), who fouled out in the fourth quarter, and James Soliz (8) and Chris Kerr (held scoreless), who both fouled out in the third quarter. Anthony Serra added 18 points for Grace Community.

Pablo Mitchell scored 20 points to lead Big Bear (2-6), which trailed, 23-9, after a quarter. Burke finished with 19 points and Brian Thussen added 17.

Pomona 76, St. Genevieve 64--The Valiants’ starting front line was outscored, 53-20, in the first round of the 16-team Bosco Tech tournament.

Guard Mike Cassidy scored a team-high 20 points and had 10 assists in the losing effort. Teammate Dara Kargari added 15 points.

Harvard 67, Keppel 63--Mike Beckwith scored 18 points and Rick Osterloh added 17 as the Saracens recorded a consolation quarterfinal victory in the Bosco Tech tournament.

Chieu Hong led Keppel with 17 points.