Point Loma Shades Morse to Create First-Place Tie

The gold-jerseyed Morse High School basketball team and gold-jerseyed Point Loma got together Wednesday at Point Loma and spent the afternoon sneaking up on each other.

Point Loma scored the game’s final four points for a 53-49 victory, but not before a handful of lead changes, a few substantial momentum changes, and a near-clothing change before the game started.

The victory left Point Loma (14-10 overall, 6-3 in league) tied with Morse (10-11, 6-3) for first place in the City Eastern League. Both teams are at home Friday, Point Loma against Patrick Henry and No. 10 Morse against Serra.

“We couldn’t afford to lose,” Point Loma Coach David Aros said. “It was our biggest game of the season. If we lose, we have no chance for a championship.”

The Pointers do now, thanks to the sharpshooting of Beau Pack, a couple of key baskets by Jimmy Griffin, and patience. Point Loma led early, briefly lost the lead midway through the second quarter, got back on top by halftime but faded by the end of the third quarter.

“Morse did something we weren’t expecting,” Aros said. “They used a diamond-and-one defense and didn’t let our point guard (Rob Quintana) handle the ball. That strategy disrupted us.”

Said Morse Coach Ron Davis: “We never play the same team the same way twice. We play everybody differently each time.”

The teams took the floor with Morse dressed in deep gold uniforms and Point Loma in yellow gold, only to stand around while the officials debated the style options. After a couple of minutes, they decided the best option was to just play.

Point Loma forced seven turnovers in the first quarter and jumped to a 14-6 lead, increasing it to 18-11 by the end of the quarter.

Morse, though, scored the first six points of the second quarter to close to, 18-17, before Point Loma extended its lead to 31-25 at halftime.

But just when it looked as if Point Loma was in control, Morse used a press to force four consecutive turnovers to start the second half. Morse went on a 6-0 run to tie the score, 31-31, and led by the end of the quarter, 40-37.

Point Loma came right back. Trailing, 42-41, Pack hit a three-pointer to put the Pointers ahead and Griffin made a three-point play. Later, with the score tied, 49-49, Quintana and Pack each made a couple of free throws.

“I knew we needed that three-pointer,” said Pack, who led Point Loma with 17 points. “We were down by one, and it took a lot out of them.”

Morse’s hopes took a jolt with 1:02 remaining when Curtis Jones, a 6-foot-9 senior center who scored a game-high 25 points, fouled out.

“Every time we see him, he gets better and better,” Aros said.