HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL : De La Salle Gives San Dieguito a Message

Dave LaBorde prepared his team for a long night in the locker room before San Dieguito played host to Concord’s De La Salle High School, the No. 3-ranked team from San Francisco Bay area.

“One game’s not going to determine our whole season,” LaBorde told them.

It’s a good thing, too, because the visiting Spartans (10-1) ran past host San Dieguito (4-3) the same way it ran past two other Palomar League teams in the Lt. James Mitchell Tournament in front of 800. The final wasn’t pretty, 69-48.

It wasn’t that close, either, except that foul shooting bolstered the Mustangs’ output. They made 18 of 27 from the free-throw line.

“They’re an excellent ballclub, solid in every area and they’re just so deep,” LaBorde said. “Nothing they did surprised us, although shooting better than 25% and executing better would have helped us.”

Ah yes, the shooting. San Dieguito converted 13 of 52 shots and they went ages without scoring. In the first period, De La Salle jumped to an 8-2 lead by making three of its first four shots, including two three-point baskets. San Dieguito rallied to tie the game at 8-8 with 4:30 left in the period, but made only one field goal in the next 8:11. By then, the Spartans had reeled off 19 points for a 27-12 lead, and it was quite apparent LaBorde’s pregame speech was made with forethought.

In the second half, San Dieguito made only six baskets, but scored 14 points on free-throws. They trailed by as many as 24 points.

Reflective of the off-night shooting, San Dieguito’s scoring tandem of Matt de la Pena and Sean Howard, averaging 21 points per game this season, scored just seven and 15, respectively. De la Pena was two of 16 from the field, Howard three of 11.

“Our scouting report said that Howard and de la Pena were the two guys we had to focus on,” de la Salle Coach George Nessman said. “I think (de la Pena) had a subpar night, but I think that’s because we kept a body in front of him all night.”

Drew Barry, son of former NBA star Rick Barry, led De La Salle with 19 points. He also had 12 rebounds and five steals and was named the tournament’s outstanding player.

Joe McLean, a 6-4 junior who is also highly recruited, scored 18 points, 16 in the second half.

It was a big tournament for De La Salle, who beat San Diego’s No. 1 team, Rancho Buena Vista, by eight points and three-time tournament defending champion Torrey Pines by 19.

“Yeah, I was a little surprised (by the ease of their victories),” Nessman said. “The teams we played, I thought, were pretty good competition. We just got three football players back, and (Barry) is coming off an ankle injury, and I think we’re starting to play together.”

In other Mitchell Tournament games:

Dana Hills 75, Vista 63--Dana Hills, led by Keith Barnett (22 points) and Derrick Walsh (21) outscored Vista, 27-10, in the second quarter. Dave Enger had 16 points, including four three-pointers, for Vista.

Fallbrook 51, San Clemente 46--Fallbrook got 14 points from junior Chris Miller and 12 from Bob Nolan, both all-tournament selections, to lead the Warriors to third place. Melvin Johnson and Bill Hagedorn scored 13 each for San Clemente.

Torrey Pines 79, West Anchorage 64--Torrey Pines used a half-court trap and outscored West Anchorage, 48-28, in the second half to capture the consolation championship. The Falcons (8-1) were 27 for 33 from the free-throw line and led by senior point guard Dan Raynaga, who had 23 points. Craig Brown (14 points, three three-pointers), Peter Bates (12) and John Allred (12) also scored in double figures for Torrey Pines.