High School Basketball Roundup : Price Plays, but La Jolla Plays Better in 69-44 Win

On Monday, Jerome Price was an ineligible standout guard for University City High’s boys’ basketball team. He had participated in the Gus Macker three-on-three basketball tournament Jan. 28-29.

To do so was a CIF no-no under Rule 600. Or was it?

On Tuesday, Superior Court Judge William C. Pate granted a temporary restraining order against the CIF until a hearing could determine if there was any wrongdoing.

On Wednesday, La Jolla limited Price to 11 points and seven rebounds, and those were team highs as the Vikings downed University City, 69-44.

The victory, coupled with Mission Bay’s 57-51 loss to USDHS, gives La Jolla (15-8 overall, 7-2 in league play) a one-game lead with one game to play in the City Western League. Mission Bay (14-7, 6-3) is in second place. University City (15-9, 5-4) is in third.

La Jolla, assured of at least a tie for the title, can win it outright with a victory over last-place USDHS Friday.

In lieu of complaining about the Price situation, La Jolla Coach Rick Eveleth said before the game, “We hope to play U.C. at full strength.”

They did, though it was the Vikings who were at full strength. All five starters had good games, led by senior guard Adam Kleid’s 27 points.

“He dictated the tempo,” Eveleth said. “This is the finest game he’s played all the way around for us.”

Erick Litch added 11 points and eight rebounds and David Berteaux 10 points. Kyle Kupiec had nine points and eight rebounds and sophomore forward Craig Woodall had eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

With Kleid scoring 15 points in the first half, La Jolla took a 30-23 lead. Price, who made the first basket of the game on a 17-foot jump shot, had just three points.

In their first meeting Jan. 24, La Jolla had led the Centurions by 13 in the third quarter before losing in overtime. There would be no letdown Wednesday, however, as La Jolla dominated the second half, 39-21.

After Price made two free throws with 3:04 left in the third quarter, La Jolla led, 40-33. The Vikings then went on a 17-2 run, including 12 in a row, to giving them a 57-35 lead.

Elsewhere in the City Western League:

USDHS 57, Mission Bay 51--Anthony Massa scored nine of his team-leading 15 points in the fourth quarter as visiting USDHS (9-11, 2-7) rallied from a five-point deficit and knocked Mission Bay out of a share of the league lead. Brett Grebing scored 19 points and Keith Berkley added 14 for Mission Bay (14-7, 6-3).

City Central League

San Diego 75, Crawford 68--Milton Miller scored 26 points and Andre Letchaw added 14 to lead No. 5-ranked San Diego (16-4, 7-2) past host Crawford. San Diego led by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter, but Crawford (15-8, 5-4) rallied to within 71-67 in the final minute. James Clark put the game away with four free throws. Chris Johnson had 18 points and Tracy Halton added 17 for Crawford.

Lincoln 109, Christian 71--Lincoln’s Joe Temple had 15 steals to break the San Diego Section record for steals in a game (13) he set earlier this season. Temple scored 35 points and had 17 rebounds, and Aaron Wilhite added 31 points and led Lincoln (24-1, 9-0) with 27 rebounds. Christian is 12-10 and 4-5.

Hoover 64, St. Augustine 57--Alex Davis scored 18 points to lead host Hoover (2-20, 1-8), which rallied from a 47-46 deficit after three quarters. Mike Mossuto led St. Augustine (2-20, 1-8) with 19 points.

City Eastern League

Serra 63, Madison 61--Madison had the ball with 1 second left and the score tied, 61-61, but Jermaine Jordan intercepted an inbounds pass and scored on a bank shot from the top of the key for host Serra (13-9, 5-4). Jordan scored 15 points, as did Conrad Jones and Maurice Wade. Robby Robinson led Madison (13-11, 5-4) with 23 points, and Brad Eaddy added 16.

Patrick Henry 81, Mira Mesa 50--Terence Hamilton scored 25 points and Ty McHenry added 15 to lead host Patrick Henry (13-10, 5-4). Mira Mesa (4-21, 0-9) trailed by just 10, 52-42, after three quarters but was outscored, 29-8, in the fourth quarter.

Avocado League

Rancho Buena Vista 62, Escondido 55--Rancho Buena Vista Principal Alan Johnson, expecting problems, had said RBV would not play in this game after athletes from the two schools engaged in a melee following a wrestling match last Thursday at Escondido. But Johnson changed his mind before the game and Rancho Buena Vista (11-13, 7-6) won. The only problem came early in the fourth quarter when the lights in Escondido’s gym went out for 15 minutes. Todd Fellars, who scored a game-high 31 points, hit a three-pointer to snap a 47-47 tie just before the lights went out. Escondido, which never caught up after the lights came back on, got 27 points from Brooks Barnhard, but fell to 11-11, 6-7.

Oceanside 70, San Marcos 47--Fred Dunn scored 24 points and Jerry Garrett added 16 to lead visiting Oceanside (12-9, 10-3), which blew open a close game by outscoring San Marcos, 29-6, in the third quarter. San Marcos (6-17, 2-11) got 12 points from Patrick Griffith.

El Camino 69, Carlsbad 45--Shaun Scurry scored 21 points to help El Camino (19-5, 12-1) clinch the league title. Dee Voyer added 18 points and 17 rebounds. Carlsbad is 7-15, 1-12.

Palomar League

Torrey Pines 53, Fallbrook 35--Courtie Miller had 20 points and Kevin Flanagan 10 to lead No. 1-ranked Torrey Pines (25-1, 11-0) at Fallbrook. Miller scored 10 points in the first quarter as Torrey Pines took an 18-13 lead. Fallbrook (11-12, 6-5) played slowdown but was plagued by turnovers.

Orange Glen 69, San Dieguito 55--Shane Macklin scored 19 points and Lenny McGill added 14 as visiting Orange Glen (8-15, 4-7) won its third in a row. Brian Malewicz led San Dieguito (7-16, 1-10) with 19 points.

Briefly--Mt. Carmel 67, Vista 45.

Metro Conference

Sweetwater 74, Montgomery 56--Coach Bob Aguilar announced his resignation before the game, then Montgomery (0-20, 0-14) lost its final regular-season game, despite 26 points from Albert Maldanado. Carlos Campbell scored 19 points for No. 4-ranked Sweetwater (24-2, 13-1). “I’m not closing the door on coaching,” Aguilar said. “But I wanted to make a time commitment toward administration.” Aguilar, who said he will continue to coach girls’ basketball and volleyball, added that he had made the decision to give up his coaching job before this season started.

Southwest 67, Chula Vista 55--Adalberto Silva scored 21 points, Sean Swensen had 15 and Will Tate 13 for No. 8 Southwest (20-7, 12-2). Derek Chapman scored 16 to lead visiting Chula Vista (13-14, 10-4).

Mar Vista 65, Bonita Vista 49--Tim O’Neal scored 26 points to lead visiting Mar Vista (6-17, 5-8). Bonita Vista (5-17, 4-10) got 17 points from Matt Gibbs.

Coronado 47, Marian 45--Derek Wastila scored 17 points and Tim DeWitt added 16 for host Coronado (10-13, 8-6). Marian is 4-15, 4-9.

Briefly--Castle Park 73, Hilltop 69.

GIRLS

City Central League

Our Lady of Peace 73, Hoover 42--Tammy Taveras scored 16 points and April Velk added 15 for Our Lady of Peace (18-5, 8-1), which moved within one game of clinching its first league title. OLP can wrap up the championship by defeating Crawford Friday. Deann Beauparlant added 13 points for OLP, and Cathy Bashi had 11. Hoover is 1-14, 0-9.

Lincoln 76, Christian 47--Sheila Dixon scored 50 points for Lincoln (16-5, 7-2). Dixon, who scored 26 of Lincoln’s 32 third-quarter points, is the fifth girl in San Diego Section history to score 50 or more in a game. Christian is 10-10, 4-5.

San Diego 32, Crawford 24--Melanie Covey scored 11 points for San Diego (10-11, 6-3). San Diego led, 18-14, at halftime. Crawford is 6-16, 2-7.

City Eastern League

Point Loma 94, Morse 38--Monica Filer’s 14 assists gave her 319 for the season and broke the San Diego Section of 312 set by Coronado’s Tami Fick in 1978. Filer now has 700 assists in her career. Both Filer and Tyeast Brown scored 27 points for No. 1-ranked Point Loma (25-1, 9-0). Morse is 11-14, 3-6.

Madison 35, Serra 24--Lini Koria scored 12 points to lead host Madison (6-18, 1-8). Serra fell to 4-18, 1-8.

Briefly--Mira Mesa 59, Patrick Henry 38.

City Western League

Mission Bay 52, USDHS 49--Cristina Willis scored 14 of her 35 points in the fourth quarter as No. 10 Mission Bay came from behind at USDHS. Mission Bay (18-7, 9-0) clinched the league title outright. Ann Casey scored 15 for USDHS (10-8, 6-3) and Susan Burke added 13.

Kearny 48, Clairemont 39--Ericka Weber scored 16 points and Heather Motteler had 13, but it wasn’t enough for visiting Clairemont (2-20, 0-9). Kearny is 6-14, 3-6.

Briefly--University City 46, La Jolla 41.