HART TOURNAMENT : Saugus Continues Roll With Decisive Victory

Saugus High Coach John Clark remembers Dec. 10 well--the day of a seven-point loss to Rio Mesa in the first round of the Beverly Hills tournament.

“We played absolutely terrible,” Clark said. “We shot poorly and were selfish. I lectured their butt off for about 35 minutes. I challenged them to put it on the line.”

Saugus rose to the occasion Thursday night in a 74-33 victory over San Fernando in a championship quarterfinal of the Hart tournament to notch its fourth win in a row since a loss to Ventura in the consolation final of the Beverly Hills tournament.

The Centurions (9-3) have scored 261 points in the past four games, an average of 65.3 points, while limiting opponents to 123 points (30.8).

Saugus center Greg Yumbar scored a career-high 28 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Geoff Dains and Steve Tampus added 13 and 12 points.

Saugus, which raced to a 22-4 advantage in the first quarter against Cabrillo in the first round Wednesday, built a 12-0 lead against San Fernando (4-7) with Jeromy Smith, who recorded five steals in the contest, scoring six of the Centurions’ first eight points.

Ruben Caballero scored the Tigers’ first points with 3 minutes 48 seconds left in the period.

Saugus defeated San Fernando, 77-55, earlier in the season in the Saugus tournament.

“We always try to pressure on defense,” said Yumbar, a 6-foot-5 senior. “We have to hustle because our team isn’t that big.”

Saugus led, 17-11, after the first period, but limited San Fernando to three points in the first six minutes of the second quarter and expanded its lead to 36-14 with 2:21 left before halftime.

Yumbar, who connected on 12 of 16 from the field, was five of five during the second-quarter run.

Saugus made 27 of 53 from the field (50.9%) in the game and limited San Fernando to seven, nine and six points in the final three quarters.

“We shot about as well as we could,” Clark said.

San Fernando did not score the final 2:12 after trailing, 63-33.

Jason Riggio and Chris Hernandez each had six assists for Saugus, which will play Hart in the semifinals tonight at 7:30.

In other championship quarterfinal games:

Hart 87, Calabasas 62--Hart scored 18 consecutive points in the third quarter to increase a 25-24 lead. Ali Peek, who was eight of 12 from the field, scored seven of his 19 points during the run.

Keith Halcovich scored a game-high 20 points and Marty Downen added 17 for Hart (7-5). Peek and Downen each grabbed 10 rebounds.

Jason Young led Calabasas (4-6) with 19 points.

Antelope Valley 64, Westlake 57--Brock Chase led Antelope Valley with 22 points and John Van Spyk had 22 for Westlake.

East Bakersfield 79, Glendale 71--Mike Wright and Hai Tran scored 15 and 14 points for Glendale (6-5). East Bakersfield will meet Antelope Valley tonight at 6 in the other semifinal.