HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Crescenta Valley Wraps Up Saugus Title

Free-throw shooting--not great, but adequate--aided Crescenta Valley High in a 59-55 victory over San Fernando on Tuesday night in the championship game of the inaugural Saugus tournament.

Crescenta Valley (3-0) made four free throws in six attempts in the final 1 minute, 9 seconds to hold off the surging Tigers. San Fernando never led but pulled to within one point three times in the fourth quarter.

“We’re not executing well right now,” Crescenta Valley Coach John Goffredo said. “It’s December and our passes aren’t crisp. But those things will come.”

Guard Steve Finch (nine points), and forwards Bruce Jacobson (six points) and Bill Crockett (game-high 19 points) all made free throws in the final minute.

San Fernando (3-1) answered with a three-point basket from Errol Garnett at the buzzer to pull to within four points.

“We just played horribly,” San Fernando Coach Dick Crowell said. “We could not get our rhythm. The only thing I can figure out is that the kids wanted it so badly they couldn’t do the things they need to do to play basketball.”

Crescenta Valley center Paul Matijasevic, who scored 14 points, did not have his best game, either, but he was selected the tournament’s most valuable player.

Matijasevic, a 6-foot-7 senior, scored 28 points in the Falcons’ opening-round win over Montebello.

In other tournament games:

Canyon 50, Saugus 49--Canyon, rallying from a 13-1 deficit, grabbed its first lead at 42-41 with 4:50 to play, then held off a late rally by its cross-town rival to claim the consolation championship.

Saugus (1-2) tied the score, 48-48, on a pair of free throws by Greg Yumbar (game-high 17 points) with 2:03 to play.

Forward Jon Civita, who led Canyon (2-1) with 13 points, scored with 1:37 to play to account for the Cowboys’ final points. Donavon Green of Saugus made a free throw with 48 seconds to play to pull the Centurions to within a point. With four seconds left, however, Green’s jumper caromed out.

La Canada 50, Antelope Valley 38--Guard Jeff Lord and center Louie Nieto combined for 31 points to lead La Canada (2-1) to a win in a third-place game.

Lord scored a game-high 19 points and Nieto had 12 points.

Montebello 82, St. Genevieve 46--St. Genevieve was outscored, 27-8, in the second quarter of seventh-place game. Victor Dionisio scored 17 points for the Valiants (0-3).

NONLEAGUE

North Hollywood 74, Crespi 49--In a meeting of unbeatens, the Huskies (3-0) thumped the host Celts (2-1) behind big performances by familiar names.

Husky center Dana Jones posted a season-high 28 points, 13 rebounds and had two blocked shots. Seniors Harry Marks (12 points, two steals) and Tommy Byrdsong (13 points, three steals) also chipped in.

Quartz Hill 75, Apple Valley 59--Gabe Higa scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Brent Beardmore added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Rebels at Quartz Hill.

Quartz Hill (1-1) also got 13 points and 11 rebounds out of Chris Young.

SIMI VALLEY TOURNAMENT

Thousand Oaks 67, Poly 59--Chris Loll scored 25 points and Dusty Lysobey added 15 as Thousand Oaks (1-2) notched a third-round win.

Jason Wilson had 20 points for Poly.

FAITH BAPTIST TOURNAMENT

St. Genevieve 82, Masada 54--Forward Dominic Muller scored a season-high 29 points and added 10 rebounds and seven assists to lead the Valiants to a first-round win.

Jesse De La O added 18 points and Mike Pacpaco had 15 for St. Genevieve (1-3).

PROVIDENCE TOURNAMENT

Campbell Hall 76, La Salle 60--Senior center Phil Bruno scored a game-high 24 points and added 21 rebounds to lead Campbell Hall in the a semifinal game at Woodbury College.

Flip Sides had 10 points and 10 assists for Campbell Hall (3-1), which faces Highland Hall in the tournament final tonight at 7:30.

BUCKLEY TOURNAMENT

Buckley 102, Pacific Lutheran 34--Rod Sailes scored 36 points and Robert Burdette added 21 points and 17 rebounds for the Griffins in the first round of the Buckley Tournament.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Campbell Hall 42, Westridge 32--Center Kyrsten Williams scored 20 points and grabbed 17 rebounds for Campbell Hall (1-1) in a nonleague game at Westridge.

Burbank 42, Notre Dame 34--Julie Nelson had 10 points and nine rebounds for Notre Dame in a nonleague game at Burbank.

Faith Baptist 31, Oak Park 30--Despite a game-high 11 points from forward Kelli Romney, Faith Baptist hung on in a nonleague game at Oak Park (0-3).

Kim Martin had 10 points for Faith Baptist.