BOYS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS

Rancho Buena Vista 62, San Diego 54--It wasn’t the easiest test they’ve taken but the homework paid off.

Rancho Buena Vista upset second-seeded San Diego in a San Diego Section Division I playoff game at San Diego High. RBV will play Wednesday in the semifinals against the winner of the Southwest-Fallbrook game tonight.

The Longhorns went into the game fully prepared. Their coach, John O’Neill, spent hours studying San Diego films to learn the best way to handle the Cavers’ press.

“He showed us how to break the press and go over the top,” said Brad Grubaugh, RBV senior guard. “It’s their trap. If you attack it lightly you’re finished but coach prepared us well for it.”

But it took until the second quarter before Grubaugh and the Longhorns, which trailed by seven points in the first, got on track. Grubaugh scored 20 points.

The Longhorns had an eight-point run at the end of the second quarter to come within three (37-34) at halftime.

RBV went on seven-point run to take its first lead of the game with five minutes remaining in the third quarter. “We were down by three and all of a sudden we had the confidence and got that spurt,” O’Neill said. “It took a lot of momentum from them and gave it to us.

“I didn’t know we could pass the ball that well. We were able to break the press. At the start I thought we were going to get buried. Then we got our momentum.”