HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : San Pasqual Utilizes a Balanced Attack to Defeat Ramona

The Ramona Bulldogs employed the standard strategy against San Pasqual--pack it on 6-foot-10 Erik Meek and dare the other four guys to beat you. It’s not a bad game plan if the other guys aren’t making their shots.

Friday night, the Ramona Bulldogs had the worst of both worlds. The guards were making their perimeter shots--seven three-pointers--which made Meek virtually unstoppable in the paint.

The “double whammy,” as Ramona Coach Al Schaffer put it, was the difference in San Pasqual’s 77-69 home victory.

Despite missing his first eight free throws, Meek finished with 35 points and the three San Pasqual guards, Erick Davidson, Chris Hancock and David Durst, combined for 34 points. Ramona’s loss dropped it to 11-5 and 6-2 in the Avocado League. San Pasqual improved to 10-6 and 6-2.

“Even with Erik Meek, it takes five guys,” San Pasqual Coach Tom Buck said. “When Davidson, Hancock and Durst are shooting like that, I have a tough time seeing us lose.”

The guards weren’t as much of a factor in the first 10 minutes of the game as Ramona ran off to a 27-11 lead behind the three-point shooting of Alfonso De La Nuez and Clint Cook.

But during an 18-1 second-quarter run, Davidson hit two threes and a layup, and Meek scored six points. Ramona regained the lead by half, 36-29. But San Pasqual began the third quarter with an 11-2 spurt, which began with a Hancock three-pointer, to take a 41-38 lead.

San Pasqual never trailed again. It led 56-49 after three quarters and then blitzed Ramona with a 10-2 run to begin the fourth quarter, which put the game out of reach.

De La Nuez finished with 27 points, but shot only 10 for 22 from the field. Cook made only four of 12 for and finished with 11 points.

In addition to his 35 points, Meek grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked three shots. And after a horrid start from the line, Meek connected on seven of his last eight. Durst finished with 18 points. Ramona center Travis Knight, who spent the first half in foul trouble, scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds.