Prep Basketball : Empire League Roundup : Despite Injuries, El Dorado Gets Past Cypress, 56-45

El Dorado High School, playing without two important reserve players and with two starters hampered by injury, defeated Cypress, 56-45, in an Empire League boys’ basketball game Friday at El Dorado.

It was the lowest point total for the Hawks this season (they average 74 points). But it was enough to keep El Dorado undefeated in league play and a game ahead of Cypress. El Dorado is 15-4 overall, 5-0 in the league. Cypress is 9-10, 4-1.

Cypress came back from a 17-point first-half deficit to get to within three with 1:56 remaining in the game. But the rally fell short.

Despite losing reserves Shaun Facione (right knee) and Tim Murray (sprained ankle and fractured left wrist) this week for an indefinite period, and with starters Matt Luke and Mike Renaud hampered with minor injuries, the Hawks took control early.

They had surged to a 6-0 lead on baskets by Luke, Renaud and Jerome Facione before Cypress scored with 4:35 remaining in the first period.

“We’re used to playing 9-10 guys a game,” El Dorado Coach Wayne Carlson said. Losing coach Shaun Facione and Murray “takes away a little bit of our options.”

But Jerome Facione powered the El Dorado offense in the first quarter with 8 of the team’s 16 points. He finished with 12.

In the second quarter, the Hawks built a 17-point lead, largely behind Luke. He scored 6 of his 14 points in the quarter. He also finished with 17 rebounds.

“In the first half, Luke killed us on the boards,” said Cypress Coach Kevin Loftus. “And they did exactly what they wanted.

“In the second half we geared up our defense and took away their break.”

Cypress closed a 15-point halftime gap to trail by only by nine going into the final period. But El Dorado got a free throw by Facione with 1:47 remaining and two baskets from Luke with under a minute to go for the 11-point victory.

Los Alamitos 73, Katella 54--Los Alamitos outscored Katella, 27-10, in the third quarter, with forward Geoff Graham scoring 9 of his 11 points in the quarter. The big quarter came after Katella (6-11, 2-3) had cut Los Alamitos’ 10-point first-quarter lead to 4 (27-23) by halftime. Mike Wilson scored 14, Graham and Brent Overbeek each had 11 for Los Alamitos (8-12, 3-2). Brian Yourstone led Katella with 19.

Loara 59, Esperanza 51--Tes Whitlock scored 21 points and had 7 assists to lead host Loara (3-13, 1-4). Joe Gaudio added 14 points and 8 rebounds, and Brad Leonard had 10 points and 7 rebounds for Loara, which took control by outscoring Esperanza, 14-5, in the second quarter to lead, 30-20, at the half. Esperanza is 6-13, 0-5.