PACIFICA TOURNAMENT : Pacifica Runs Past Santa Margarita, 73-61, to Reach Final

Pacifica High School raced past Santa Margarita, 73-61, Thursday to reach the final game of the Pacifica tournament.

“We like to get the ball up and down the floor,” Mariner Coach Rhett Heckel said. “And we have two 6-5 kids that are strong. They couldn’t contain us; I guess we just wore them out.”

Pacifica (2-5) took a 19-10 lead, but Santa Margarita fought back at the end of the first quarter, and by halftime, the Mariners held a 34-33 lead. Five of Santa Margarita’s points came on free throws after a foul and two consecutive technical fouls on Heckel, who had protested the call.

Pacifica was called for 12 team fouls, while Santa Margarita received 19, and 6-foot-8-inch center Jeff Layne fouled out.

The Eagles never led after the half, although they came within three with a minute and a half left in the game. But Pacifica racked up nine points in the last minute, eight of them from 6-5 forward Randy Schulze, who ended the game with 20 points, going eight for eight at the free-throw line. Guard Dan Bathey led Santa Margarita in scoring with 23 points.

The Mariners will face Loara at 7:30 tonight. Loara defeated Dos Pueblos, 80-63, in Thursday’s other semifinal. The Saxons (10-0) were led by junior guard Tes Whitlock, who scored 35 points, including four three-pointers and seven of seven free throws.

Whitlock’s total moved him into second place on the tournament’s all-time scoring list, behind Pacifica’s Dustin Bonham’s 40, set in 1988 against Loara.

“Passing game, passing game,” Dos Pueblos Coach Eric Burkhardt kept shouting to his team. But Loara simply pressed harder, holding leads of 20 or more throughout the second half.

“The key to our win was that we played extremely well defensively,” Loara coach Jerry Halpin said. “They ran a very disciplined five-man passing game, which forced us to work through the screen. . . . I’m just happy to be here.”

In the Pacifica tournament consolation semifinal games:

Westminster 59, Pius X 52--Westminster came back from a 39-32 halftime deficit and outscored the Warriors, 10-2, in the fourth quarter for the win. Mark Murphy led the Lions with 21 points.

Magnolia 63, Troy 59--After falling behind for the first three quarters, Magnolia came back midway through the fourth quarter and never relinquished the lead to the Warriors. Four Sentinel players scored in double figures.