Haas Leads Estancia Shooters Past Ramona

Both are seniors. Both are guards. And both are incredibly good shooters.

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

That’s also where Ramona’s season ended because 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, Tuesday night.

“I’d like to play them again,” Ramona Coach Al Schaffer said. “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, who finished with a career-high 32 points, had eight three-pointers--three in a row in the second quarter.

De La Nuez, a native of Madrid, Spain, scored 24 points but struggled just to remain a factor.

“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) kept the pressure on him. De La Nuez was held to seven points in the second and third quarters, then added 12 in the fourth, including three baskets from three-point range.

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

Hass was joined by guards Paul McDaniels and Son Ly to form the trio largely responsible for Ramona’s (20-6) offensive breakdowns.

Ly finished with 22 points, a majority of those when he was left open on the wing. McDaniels added 10.

The Eagles shot 75% in the first half, 52% for the game.

“We had a real intense practice (Tuesday),” Haas said. “We were ready. We liked this gym. Where we played Saturday, (the Los Angeles Sports Arena, where Estancia lost to Pomona, 48-45, in the Southern Section III-AA final) it was a different atmosphere. But we like these small gyms, where it’s bright and everyone’s screaming.”