Garden Grove League : Sharp-Shooting La Quinta Hits 8 3-Point Baskets to Slip Past Kennedy

Three-point shooting by La Quinta High School enabled it to squeak past Kennedy, 75-72, in a Garden Grove League game Friday at Kennedy.

La Quinta made 8 3-pointers, 5 in the third quarter when it opened an 11-point lead. The Aztecs needed every one of those long-range baskets to fend off a furious, fourth-quarter Kennedy rally.

Scott Campbell had 36 points, including 2 3-pointers in the third quarter, and Scott Linck added 13, including 2 3-pointers in the third, for La Quinta (7-4 overall and 2-0 in league play).

“He was solid but not great,” said La Quinta Coach Jim Perry of Campbell. “He’s had better games. (But) he’s to the point now where he makes the other kids better.”

And while Kennedy was trying to focus its defensive attention on Campbell, Linck was able to work himself free for the 3-point shots.

A 3-pointer by Linck midway through the third quarter gave La Quinta a 48-35 lead and the Aztecs appeared to be in command.

But Kennedy chipped away at the lead. And after a basket by Jim Barker, Kennedy trailed, 62-60, with 4:10 left to play.

But the Fighting Irish could not get any closer and La Quinta held on for an important victory.

It was only the second Garden Grove League loss ever for Kennedy, which won the league title with a 13-1 record in its first season in 1987-88.

Friday’s victory puts La Quinta in front of the pack in the league race.

“They’ve got to come to us now,” Perry said of Kennedy.

Mike Pettengill had 17 points, Barker 16 and Tom Deep 15 for Kennedy (8-6, 1-1). Kennedy made just 3 of 15 shots from 3-point range.

Another key to the game was that Greg Hansell and Deep, Kennedy’s two best inside players, got into early foul trouble.

Both picked up their third foul in the first quarter--Hansell with 5:41 left in the quarter and Deep with 2:37 left--and did not return until the third quarter.

When Deep left, La Quinta led, 15-13. When the pair returned to start the second half, La Quinta had a 32-26 advantage.

“We thought with their two big kids (Hansell and Deep), our only chance was quickness,” Perry said. “We don’t have a physical team.”

Garden Grove 64, Bolsa Grande 63 (OT)--Julian Velasquez made 2 free throws with 53 seconds left to give Garden Grove (2-9, 1-1) a 64-60 lead. Kevin King made a 3-point field goal to pull the Matadors to within 1, 64-63.

However, Bolsa Grande missed a 30-foot jumper at the buzzer. Joe Squyers had 24 points and 10 rebounds for Garden Grove. Thai Nguyen scored 14 points for Bolsa Grande (1-8, 0-2).

Pacifica 75, Los Amigos 52--Bill Maurer scored 14 points and dished out a single-game school record 16 assists for host Pacifica.

Senior guard Dustin Bonham scored 25 points, Mike Maher scored 10 points and had 14 rebounds and Randy Schulze had 10 points also for Pacifica (7-3, 2-0). Carlos Palomino had 22 for Los Amigos (2-7, 1-1).

Rancho Alamitos 92, Santiago 50--David Choe scored 15 points, Gary Lira 14 and Tim Pavelec and Richard Pearce 11 each for host Rancho Alamitos (3-6, 1-1).