HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL : Serra Heads the Right Way With Victory Over Kearny

Kearny Coach Bill Peterson took off his hat to the referees Tuesday.

It happened 40 seconds into the third quarter. His team was losing to Serra. He peeled the cap off his head and-- WHAM --slammed it to the ground.

And then he yelled: “Dammit, blow the whistle.” He tried to retrieve it a few minutes later, but it had slid too far underneath the stands.

Fourth-ranked Kearny (14-5) wound up losing the nonleague road game, 61-47, which helped turn Peterson’s temper up full blast. After he chewed out his players in the locker room, he was approached for an interview. He said: “I’ve got no comment for the paper on that game.”

And you know what? He still didn’t have his cap.

It wasn’t his day.

Once again, it was Serra’s. Seems as if the Conquistadors (10-4) are having a lot of fun lately. They’ve won nine of 10 since regaining the services of Tony Etheridge, who had been academically ineligible, and Joey Wojdowski, who had a knee injury. Mt. Carmel, then ranked No. 1, was the only team to top them during that stretch.

Justin Wible got Serra started Tuesday, scoring 13 points in the first quarter to help the Conquistadors to a 21-9 lead. Then, after stashing the offense away for much of the second quarter, Serra regained its form and stayed a few steps ahead the rest of the way.

Wible led all scorers with 23, Antwann Harris added 16 and point guard Bryant Tucker kept everything clicking with his crisp passes and snappy ball handling. And Kearny’s Darnay Scott, who shoots from every spot imaginable and usually hits with regularity, was held to 12, four in the second half.

Kearny tightened the game in the second quarter, outscoring Serra, 16-10, to pull within 31-25 at halftime. But Serra kept the Komets at a distance in the third quarter.

Peterson received a technical for protesting a non-call with 5:29 remaining in the third and Wible canned two free throws to capitalize. The Komets, led by Damon Victor’s 13 points, pulled to 44-40 late in the third on a three-pointer by Ali Nayab. That was as close as they got.

Serra could be on the verge of something quite special. Three of its starters--Wible, Etheridge and Wojdowski--are juniors. With maturity, this team may be even better by playoff time.

“We have some real possibilities here,” Wible said. “We’re always learning. Every practice we’re learning something new.”