Chabot Knocks Moorpark Out of Tournament

The Moorpark College men’s basketball team watched its season end in methodical fashion Thursday as Chabot College scored a 90-79 victory in the quarterfinals of the state junior college tournament at UC Irvine’s Bren Center.

“I don’t think there was a crucial play,” Chabot Coach Rich Botelho said. “I think we just ground at them and kind of wore them down.”

Tony Amundsen, the 13th-leading scorer in the state, did most of the grinding, finishing with 29 points. He was supported by Chabot teammates Scott Kelly, who banged inside for 21 points, and Darin Aman, who had 20.

“They outplayed us tonight,” Moorpark point guard Sam Crawford said. “It was nothing fancy, just basic basketball. . . . We never had a chance to break the game open, and that’s our game.”

Moorpark trailed by seven points late in the first half but sandwiched a 13-3 run around the halftime intermission to take a 42-39 lead. Chabot answered with 10 consecutive points and Moorpark never led again.

“We’d make our runs and they would counter and answer it,” Moorpark Coach Al Nordquist said. “In every run they hit the shots that counted. They made the big plays when it counted.”

Chabot (25-7), which made only four of nine free throws in the first half, sank 21 of 27 in the second half to stymie Moorpark, which trailed by only three points, 58-55, with 9 minutes 23 seconds left.

Moorpark intensified the defensive pressure, and Chabot slowed the pace. On one particularly devastating series, Aman hit a jump shot with three seconds on the shot clock to push Chabot ahead, 69-59.

Crawford buried three three-point baskets in the last seven minutes, but Chabot answered every Moorpark burst with one of its own to build a lead of 15 points.

Crawford scored 26 points in what he said was his last game for Moorpark. A freshman, Crawford said he will move on to a Division I school and redshirt next season while putting his academics in order.

Bruce Watson scored 16 points for Moorpark, Roger Thomas scored 12 despite picking up his fourth foul midway through the second half and Mike Waggoner also scored 12.

Moorpark’s Greg Taylor led all rebounders with 14 and scored eight points, making all four of his shots.

Moorpark (24-11), the lowest-seeded team among the four Valley-area entrants, nonetheless lasted the longest in the state tournament. Antelope Valley and Valley lost their postseason openers and Glendale advanced to the third round before being eliminated.