State High School Basketball Playoffs : Manual Arts Gets 69-63 Victory

Marcel Capers, a Manual Arts High School guard, made nine free throws in the fourth quarter, including two with six seconds remaining, to give the Toilers a 69-63 victory over Capistrano Valley in the Division I State basketball tournament Tuesday night at Saddleback College.

The Toilers (25-1), the defending state champions, withstood Capistrano Valley’s fourth-quarter rally after leading, 49-33, early in the third quarter.

Capers scored 21 points and teammate Charlo Davis added 17 to lead the Toilers, who will play L.A. Fremont, the City 3-A Division champion, in the quarterfinals Thursday night.

Capistrano Valley (24-6), the Southern Section Division 5-A champion, was led by forward Scott McCorkle, who scored 15 points.

San Bernardino 78, San Diego Madison 54--Host and No. 2-seeded San Bernardino (31-0) took a 26-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, increased it to 44-21 at halftime and coasted to victory in Division II action at San Bernardino.

J.J. Cole led Madison (17-14) with 13 points, and Robby Robinson and Brad Eaddy added 12 each. Bryon Russell scored 24 points for San Bernardino, Carlos Dew added 19 and Doug Howard had 11.

Trabuco Hills 87, San Diego Clairemont 60--Rick Swanwick scored 32 points and Randy Kriech added 22 to lead the Mustangs to victory in Division III action at El Toro High School.

Swanwick, a 6-foot-10 center, made one of 10 shots from the field for six points in the first half. But he scored 26 points on 12 of 17 shots in the second half.

Trabuco Hills (23-6) will play Lemoore in the semifinals. Ray McDavid scored 22 points for Clairemont (12-17).

Corona del Mar 80, Tulare Western 47--Brian Spratt’s 17 points led a cast of 13 players who scored, as the Sea Kings easily won its Division III game at Corona del Mar.

Corona del Mar led, 21-6, at the end of the first quarter, and, 40-17, by the end of the first half. Corona del Mar had a decided height advantage--Tulare Western’s tallest player was 6-3 forward Marvin Coleman--and it outrebounded Tulare Western, 22-8, in the first half.

In girls’ first-round action:

San Diego Point Loma 51, Santa Barbara 29--The Pointers won the Division I game at Point Loma.

A full-court, man-to-man press employed by Point Loma limited Santa Barbara to eight first-half points. Point Loma led at halftime, 26-8.

“We played one of our best games,” Point Loma Coach Lee Trepanier said. “To come off a (San Diego Section championship) game, you have to get them perked up, and I got them perked up.”

Trepanier said that Point Loma (31-1), ranked second in the state (Division I) by Cal-Hi Sports, is peaking.

Kristin Knapp led Santa Barbara (21-9) with 12 points.

Hart 68, Fontana 57--Forward Nikki Brodowy scored a team-high 18 points--10 coming in a pivotal third quarter--as the Indians rallied to defeat Fontana in a Division I game at Hart.

Brodowy opened the second half by making a 15-foot jump shot, a 12-foot shot from the baseline and a layup to cut the Fontana lead to 39-36.

Fontana, the runner-up in the Southern Section 5-AA Division, was held to 12 points in the fourth quarter on five of 14 baskets from the field.

Valencia 65, Mt. Whitney Visalia 50--Center Kristen McDonald scored a game high 24 points and had eight rebounds as the Tigers won the Division II game at Valencia.

“I didn’t feel like this was one of our better games, “ Valencia Coach Debi Woelke said. “We didn’t move real well in the beginning.”

Valencia (21-9), the 4-AA Southern Section champion, will face Vista of San Diego in the next round. Mt. Whitney finished 23-3.

Reedley 54, Ramona 26--Tracy Ainger scored 18 points and Stephanie Rhodes added 13 for No. 4 Reedley (13-13) in Division III action at Reedley.