HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Fast Start Enables Ventura to Beat Saugus

Every Ventura High starter scored before Saugus put a point on the scoreboard in Saturday night’s third-place game of the Beverly Hills tournament.

From there, it was just a matter of Ventura withstanding several Saugus surges to record a 69-60 victory and finish the tournament with three victories and a loss.

In the tournament championship game, Long Beach Wilson defeated Culver City, 64-57.

Ventura (7-1) leaped to a 12-0 advantage with a penetrating offense and the help of some sloppy Saugus shooting.

Ventura’s Darien Roberts, Curt Vaughn and Martin Nunes each sliced inside for easy layups in the early going. Meanwhile, Saugus (5-2) missed its first five shots from the field before Steve Tampus made the second of two free throws to give the Centurions their first point.

Saugus made just two of 11 shots in the first quarter; Ventura made six of 12.

But the blowout never came.

In the second quarter, Saugus made eight of 18 shots, including three three-point baskets by guard Josh Hinrichs, who finished with a team-high 17 points.

Hinrichs, who scored 11 points in the second quarter, buried a three-point shot with two minutes to play in the half that pulled Saugus to within 28-24. The half ended with Ventura ahead, 34-28.

After Saugus fell behind by 10 points in the third quarter, Hinrichs scored twice on layups after steals to help close the gap to 49-45.

In the fourth quarter, Ventura pulled away. Nunes scored seven of his 16 points and the Cougars made eight of 14 free throws to build a 66-51 lead with three minutes to play.

Roberts, who led all scorers with 18 points, added two in the final quarter.

Saugus again closed the gap, reserve guard Mike Thompson scoring nine of his 13 points, including a three-point basket.