PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Laguna Beach Handles Laguna Hills

Dain Blanton’s 21 points helped lead Laguna Beach High School to a 64-54 victory over Laguna Hills in a Pacific Coast League basketball game Friday night at Laguna Hills.

The victory keeps Laguna Beach alone in second place with a 5-1 record (16-4 overall).

The Artists led at halftime, 26-22. Laguna Beach Coach Ed Bowen made some adjustments in his team’s press during intermission, and the Artists ended the third quarter with a 10-point advantage, 45-35.

“Laguna Hills played much better tonight than the first time we played it,” Bowen said, referring to the Artists’ 68-43 victory in their Jan. 10 game. “But our press won the game for us.”

Al Saldana, who scored 11 of his 23 points in the first half for Laguna Hills (7-11, 1-5), was held to four points in the third quarter.

“Laguna Beach did an excellent job of taking away our options in the third quarter,” Laguna Hills Coach Dave Brown said.

“I don’t think their press hurt us,” he said. “Our offense just went stale in the third quarter and we made poor decisions when we had the ball. Laguna Beach is a difficult team to play catch-up against.”

Brown said George Benjamin, who scored 11 points and accounted for 16 of Laguna Hills’ 26 rebounds, played tough inside and Saldana played good defense against John Trevino, limiting him to six of 12 from the field for 13 points.

Laguna Beach made 26 of 45 field-goal attempts, including single three-point baskets by Trevino and Trevor Murphy. Laguna Hills made 25 of 52 attempts from the field.