Royal Joins the Contenders With Convincing Win

Royal High’s torturous climb into contention for the Marmonte League title became official Wednesday night.

Remember those Highlanders who entered the league season as the defending co-champion, but lost four of their first six league games? They’re history.

Back are the Highlanders who won the highly regarded Beverly Hills tournament and eight of their first nine games. Royal won its fourth game in a row, handing Camarillo a 90-82 loss in a game the Highlanders led by 20 late in the third quarter and coasted on their free-throw shooting thereafter.

And it means at least one banner hanging in Royal’s gym, “Go Big Green,” has got to go. Because now it’s no longer a matter of getting Big Green to go; it’s a matter of stopping it.

“We’ve worked real hard to get in a position to be a factor down the stretch,” Royal Coach Joe Malkinson said. “We’ve taken one more step.”

And Camarillo has slipped. Once perched atop the league standings, the Scorpions (12-6, 6-4) have lost three in a row and dipped into a second-place tie with Royal (15-7, 6-4), two games behind Thousand Oaks and Channel Islands.

Royal’s stride became easier when it shot 60% (28 of 47) from the field, including eight of 15 from three-point range. David Tyner (25 points) inflicted most of the damage from the perimeter, hitting five of seven from three-point range and six of 10 total from the field. Center Kevin Hambly worked from the inside, scoring a game-high 29 points.

Tyner, a 6-3 senior guard who entered the game with 46 three-point baskets, made five three-point shots in a single game for the fourth time this season. The school record is six in a single game.

“Some nights you’re on, and some nights you’re off,” Tyner said.

Camarillo has become familiar with the latter. Most of Camarillo’s slide can be attributed to poor shooting, which the Scorpions again exhibited when they hit only 36 of 80 (45%) from the field, including just four of 18 from three-point range. Guard David Harbour (28 points) has hit only 32% of his shots the past two games. “We just don’t have a rhythm,” Camarillo Coach Mike Prewitt said.

Royal hit 26 of 33 free throws--including nine consecutive in the fourth quarter that helped hold off a late Camarillo rally. Tyner was eight of eight and forward Ryan Fien was six of six in the game.