DIVISION III BOYS : Estancia Outguns Ramona

Both were seniors. Both were guards. Both were incredible outside shooters.

That’s where the similarities ended Tuesday night at Ramona, site of the opening round of the Southern California Regional Division III boys’ basketball playoffs.

That’s also where Ramona’s season ended, as Estancia gave the Bulldogs little breathing--or shooting--room in an 84-68 victory.

Estancia’s Mike Haas and Ramona’s Alfonso De La Nuez were the shooting wonders, but Haas had the upper hand, and the better team, this night.

“I’d like to play them again,” said Coach Al Schaffer of Ramona (20-6). “We had no idea their shooters were that good. They just shot the lights out.”

Sixteen of Estancia’s 17 players are seniors, so next year would be preferable.

Haas finished with a career-high 32 points and seven three-pointers.

Madrid native De La Nuez, meanwhile, struggled just to remain a factor. His 24 points were the quietest he’s had in his two-year Ramona-American career.

“They half-court pressed me in the second half,” De La Nuez said. “It wasn’t possible for me to do the things I usually do.”

What he usually does is run the team. But Estancia (26-5) pressed him so many ways, he was held to seven points in the second and third quarters, then finished strong, with 12 points in the fourth, including three three-pointers.

“They had those three guards bearing down,” De La Nuez said. “They’d shut us down on the fast break.”

Haas was joined by Paul McDaniels and Son Ly--both guards--as the trio largely responsible for Ramona’s offensive breakdowns.

Ly finished with 22 points, a majority of those when he was left open in the wings.

For Estancia, it softened the blow of a streak-stopping loss in the Southern Section 3-AA championship Saturday against Pomona.

The Eagles shot 28% from the field that night, compared to 75% in the first half Tuesday, 52% for the game. They were 11-for-19 from three-point range.