5-A : Los Alamitos Rallies to Beat El Toro
Los Alamitos High School rallied to defeat visiting El Toro, 72-71, in a first-round Southern Section 5-A playoff game Wednesday.
Los Alamitos (12-14) allowed El Toro to race to a 27-17 first-quarter lead, but started to play better defense and capitalized on El Toro turnovers the rest of the way.
“We turned the ball over six straight times to start the second quarter and that let them back in it,” El Toro Coach Tim Travers said. “(Mike) Wilson hit that big three that hurt us a lot.”
Wilson’s three-pointer to give Los Alamitos a 70-67 lead came only 40 seconds after Brent Overbeek’s free throw with 2:08 left tied the score.
El Toro (3-13) took the lead again, 71-70, after baskets by Dan Somers and Khari Johnson (who finished with 28 points and 21 rebounds). But Robert Conlisk hit from in the key with 35 seconds left to give Los Alamitos the victory. Conlisk finished with a game-high 30 points.
“We slowed down the tempo and stayed with what we wanted to do,” Los Alamitos Coach Steve Brooks said. “The defense kicked in in the second half.”
Los Alamitos advances to play at Edison Friday night.
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