DIVISION II BOYS : Meek Gets 39 As Eagles Soar

Coach Tom Buck said his San Pasqual Eagles played about as well as they can in the first half and about as poorly as they can in the second half.

But one thing remained constant--6-foot-10 All-American center Erik Meek’s play.

After scoring 23 points in the first half, Meek came back with 16 in the second half to lead San Pasqual to a 79-71 victory over visiting Irvine Woodbridge in the first round of the Southern California Regional Division II playoffs Tuesday night.

Third-seeded San Pasqual (20-7) advanced to play at second-seeded Tustin (27-4) in Thursday’s semifinals.

With Meek getting everything he wanted in the first half from Woodbridge’s loose defense, San Pasqual built a 45-25 lead. San Pasqual guards David Durst and Chris Hancock also contributed with two three-pointers apiece.

But when Woodbridge’s press intensified in the second half, San Pasqual’s guards wilted and began to turn over the ball.

A 58-34 third-quarter lead was quickly trimmed to 60-47 by the end of the third quarter as Meek sat on the bench with three fouls.

“We just got lazy and lost our edge,” San Pasqual Coach Tom Buck said of Woodbridge’s comeback.

Meek got off the bench at the beginning of the fourth quarter and scored San Pasqual’s first nine points, four coming on dunks, as the Eagles kept a 13-point lead, 69-56.

But with Meek playing passive on defense after picking his fourth foul, Woodbridge took advantage by going inside and cutting the lead to 70-62 with 3:00 left.

With 51 seconds left and San Pasqual ahead 74-65, Meek fouled out while fighting for a loose ball with Mike Fenton. Woodbridge scored the next four points, but could come no closer than 74-69.

Woodbridge Coach Bill Shannon credited Meek, who finished with 39 points, nine rebounds and six blocks, with playing “a fine game.” But he also gave the officials an assist on Meek’s big night.

“I coached a 6-9 All-American (Stanford’s Adam Keefe) for three years and he was never protected like that,” Shannon said. “I know I won’t regret saying that in the morning. It affected the game.”

Said Buck: “I heard (Shannon) crying about that. If I pay to see a guy, I want him to see him play. I’ve seen a lot worse from him.”

San Pasqual forward Richard Stark had 17 points and David Durst added 10. Fenton led Woodbridge (21-11) with 17 and Todd Loewe added 15.