3-A : Trabuco Hills Is on Game When Swanwick Isn’t

Throughout the Southern Section 3-A division boys’ basketball playoffs, opposing teams have done their best to contain Trabuco Hills High School’s Rick Swanwick, an imposing 6-foot-10, 220-pound center.

Swanwick came into Saturday’s championship in the Sports Arena averaging 20.7 points and 13.8 rebounds per game. Stopping Swanwick was the best way to stop Trabuco Hills.

Well, not quite. Corona del Mar limited Swanwick to nine points, but Trabuco Hills’ perimeter shooting carried the Mustangs to a 59-55 victory in front of 6,635 fans.

Trabuco Hills (22-6) won by making six of eight three-point shots and making nine of 13 free throws in the fourth quarter.

Trabuco Hills’ four-guard offense more than made up for Swanwick’s off night. Chad Poulos scored 14 points, including four free throws in the final 48 seconds that sealed the victory.

Randy Kriech led all scorers with 19 points, including three three-point shots. Luis Arenado had eight points and Tim Manning added seven.

Corona del Mar (19-10), the third-place team in the Sea View League, shot only 39% in its quest to win the 3-A title.

Center Brian Spratt, who averaged 20.3 points in four previous playoff games, score six points going into the final quarter but finished with a team-high 14.