Artesia Wins but Not in a Blowout, 58-40

A common question heard before Saturday’s Artesia-Irvine Woodbridge high school basketball championship game was not whether Artesia would win, but by how much.

The favored Pioneers were dominating, but their 58-40 victory in the Southern Section II-A title game at the Sports Arena was closer than their coach and players expected.

“I don’t think we shot that well today,” Artesia Coach Wayne Merino said. “I think playing in the big arena was a factor.”

Charles O’Bannon, younger brother of Artesia’s 1990 All-American Ed O’Bannon, is one of three sophomores on the front line. He is joined by 6-foot-11 center Avondre Jones and 6-5 forward James Cotton. They combined for 33 points and 29 rebounds.

The top-seeded Pioneers (26-2) and assured themselves a berth in Division II of the Southern Regional State tournament, which begins Tuesday. Artesia is defending State champion.

Woodbridge (21-10), which last won a section championship in 1987, hopes to land an at-large bid when State pairings are announced today.

Woodbridge, coming off a 65-63 upset victory of San Marcos in the semifinals Tuesday, stayed close for most of the first quarter. But Artesia’s size up front proved troublesome.

Jones and O’Bannon did most of the damage on the boards. Jones grabbed 13 rebounds and O’Bannon had 12 rebounds and two blocked shots.

Mike Fenton had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Woodbridge before fouling out late in the game.