HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SAUGUS TOURNAMENT : Peek Scores 31 to Boost Hart Past Quartz Hill

The Hart High basketball team entered the Saugus Shootout on Wednesday night at Saugus with few secrets.

Coach Greg Herrick has built his offense around 6-foot-5 Ali Peek, one of the region’s top players.

Peek put his talents on display with a game-high 31 points in leading Hart to a 66-59 win over Quartz Hill in a first-round game. Hart (1-0) will meet La Canada, a 39-26 winner over Antelope Valley, in Friday’s second round.

Hart did not surprise many with its performance. Quartz Hill, on the other hand, did.

The Rebels, Golden League champions in the 1989-90 season, looked to have a bare cupboard entering the season, except for all-league point guard Danny Prince.

But the Rebels scratched and clawed against Hart, giving notice that Quartz Hill might be in the running for a league title.

Hart targeted Prince with a box-and-one defense, but he still led the Rebels with 19 points. Quartz Hill (1-1), which trailed by eight points in the second quarter, took a 53-46 lead to open the fourth quarter before Hart, behind 10 points by Peek, charged back.

The Rebels received fine play from junior guard Ryan Beckstead, who made four three-point shots and scored 14 points, and junior Erick Taylor, a 6-5 post player who scored 11 points off the bench and defended Peek well, despite a substantial weight disadvantage.

Peek made 13 of 18 free throws, including eight of nine in the fourth quarter, and made nine of 13 shots from the field. Forward Matt Steffe had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

In other tournament games:

Saugus 55, Victor Valley 42--Steve Tampus scored 17 points, Chris Hernandez had 15 and Josh Hinrichs added 12 for Saugus (1-0).

Saugus outscored Victor Valley, 18-7, in the second quarter to take a 33-21 halftime lead.

Canyon 69, Westlake 65--Brent Stout scored 10 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter to help the Cowboys overcome a 12-point deficit.

La Canada 39, Antelope Valley 26--Brent Ballard scored a game-high 16 points for La Canada (1-0).

Antelope Valley (0-1) held the ball in a delay offense for six minutes of a scoreless second quarter.