STATE BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : 5-A : Scrappy Edison Finally Falls to Pasadena

Idris Jones scored 21 points and Don Mitchell added 18 as Pasadena High School held off Edison, 61-56, in a Southern Section 5-A quarterfinal boys’ basketball game Wednesday at Marina High.

“Every time they would get a lead, we answered,” Edison Coach Jon Borchert said. “With a few more field goals and a few less turnovers, we would have been right there, but all in all, we can’t complain.”

Edison finishes the season 15-13. Pasadena is 23-2.

Pasadena led, 46-40, after three quarters, and extended its lead to 55-46 with 3 minutes left in the game. With 2:49 left, Edison’s Bill Martineau scored on a tip-in and Bryan Murphy connected on an inside jumper 41 seconds later to cut the lead to 55-50.

A drive by Jones and a free throw by Chris Henson gave Pasadena a 58-50 lead with 1:11 left. Murphy hit a three-pointer and Art Baird hit two free throws for Edison, and Jones made a free throw for Pasadena to make the score 59-55 with 24 seconds left.

Two seconds later, Raymond Mayberry missed the front end of a one-and-one and Martineau pulled down the rebound. After Mitchell blocked Murphy’s jumper with 13 seconds left, Edison got a reprieve when Henson fouled Baird on a loose-ball play with 8 seconds remaining.

Baird made the first free throw to cut Pasadena’s lead to three points. But the Bulldogs rebounded Baird’s missed second shot and Burl Irby scored on a layup with 2 seconds left.

Murphy finished with 19 points to lead the Chargers and Baird added 15.