HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Marcachini Scores 31 in Notre Dame Win

G. C. Marcachini scored 31 points, including two of Notre Dame High’s three fourth-quarter field goals, as the Knights defeated Westlake, 56-51, Thursday night in the championship bracket of the Beverly Hills tournament.

Notre Dame will play Royal, a 69-62 winner over Culver City, Saturday for fifth place in the 16-team tournament.

The Knights advanced despite nearly blowing an eight-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Employing frenzied full-court pressure, Westlake forced Notre Dame into 14 second-half turnovers, most during the initial moments of the fourth quarter when Westlake outscored the Knights, 7-0, to draw within 42-41.

However, Paul Hewitt and Marcachini combined for 11 points over the final four minutes to rescue the Knights (4-4). Marcachini also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.

John Van Spyk paced Westlake (4-4) with 12 points. The Warriors, who had 66 turnovers in two games last week, were plagued again--they had 21 miscues.

In other tournament games:

Royal 69, Culver City 62--Four Highlanders scored in double figures and Royal outscored the Centaurs, 12-5, over the last two minutes in a championship-bracket game.

Jared Byrne scored a team-high 12 points, Greg Laranjo and Chad Smith each scored 11 and Chris Moriarty added 10 as Royal improved to 5-2.

Rio Mesa 65, St. Bernard 54--Eric Thomas scored 19 points and Eric Dyer added 12 in the consolation quarterfinals as the Spartans (1-2) won for the first time in three games.

Palisades 65, Crespi 59--Crespi fought back from a 41-27 halftime deficit in a consolation quarterfinal game but fell short.

Crespi center Christian Fauria scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half to lead the surge. Rasaan Hall led the Celts with 23 points.