Ocean View Puts Hart on Outside Looking In

Hart High’s inside game was no match for Ocean View’s outside game Tuesday night in the opening round of the Southern Section 5-A Division basketball playoffs.

Ocean View made seven three-point shots, including a game-clincher by freshman Jimmy Harris with 3 minutes 21 seconds left, and defeated Hart, 76-67, in an up-tempo game.

Ocean View (15-10), which trailed at the half, 33-31, before erupting for 26 points in the third quarter, advances to the second round Friday night against Moreno Valley.

Hart (18-8) used a 1-3-1 zone defense and failed to adjust to Ocean View’s perimeter shooters, who repeatedly let fly uncontested three-point shots.

“They didn’t do anything that surprised us, we just didn’t adjust to their shooters,” Hart Coach Greg Herrick said.

Forwards Marty Downen (18 points) and Keith Halcovich (19 points) gave Ocean View problems through three quarters, but Hart appeared to tire in the fourth quarter.

Herrick played his starters most of the game and the lack of depth appeared to hurt Hart down the stretch.

“Their forwards took our front line apart,” Ocean View Coach Jim Harris said. “They made us look as if we never played defense before. But, yeah, I thought they got tired at the end of the game.”

Hart, which averages 80 points a game, showed that kind of explosiveness, scoring 11 consecutive points at the end of the second quarter to go ahead by two at halftime.

But Ocean View put on the brakes by utilizing a four-corner delay game. Ocean View held a 61-56 lead with 6:09 remaining when guard Greg Evans stole a pass and scored on a layup. Hart never got closer.

“We made them come out of the zone and play us in the fourth quarter, and that turned the game around,” Harris said.