HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Mira Mesa Comes Back to Top Host Bonita Vista

Mira Mesa over came a five-point halftime deficit and defeated host Bonita Vista in the championship game of the Baron Optimist Tournament, 82-76.

The difference in the game was fourth-quarter free throws. Mira Mesa (10-3) made 13 of 18 from the line, and Bonita Vista did not take one free throw in the last eight minutes.

“We sure thought we deserved them,” said Bonita Vista Coach Jim Conlin. “It was a one-point game going into the fourth quarter. Once they went up we started putting them on the line and they made them.”

Mira Mesa had two players score more than 20 points. Ryan Cunningham, a 6-foot-5 forward-center finished with 26 and 11 rebounds, and guard Tod Ahwazi added 23.

For Bonita Vista (5-7), Gerald Rhoden threw in 24.

Other Baron Optimist games:

Helix 57, El Capitan 47--Lloyd Lake led Helix (8-3) in the third-place game with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Teammate Andrew Climon added 10 points and seven rebounds.

Valhalla Tournament

Mt. Miguel 59, Sweetwater 56--Tommy Keough had a game-high 21 points but couldn’t rally the Red Devils, who outscored the Monarchs, 22-16, in the fourth quarter but came up short in the third-place game. Robbie Sandoval scored 17 and Marcos Gallardo 15 for Mt. Miguel (7-6).

Rotary Tournament at Ramona:

Anchorage Bartlett 74, Ramona 49--Ramona (4-4) jumped out to a 15-12 lead but saw Bartlett dominate the rest of the championship game. Damon Nicholas and Stacy Lawrence led Bartlett with 24 and 20 points, while Rusty Hoss had 22 for the hosts.

Santana 71, Brawley 67 OT--The Sultans finally won by outscoring Brawley, 8-4, in the overtime period. Mark Bennett had 17 to lead the winners.

Melbourne 88, Francis Parker 49--Luke Ferns had 31 and Travis Reid had 20 for the winners; Scott Schneider paced Parker with 13.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Aztec/Highland Sports Tournament

Christian 36, El Centro Central Union 27--Tiffany Stutz scored 75 points, over 50% of Christian’s total, during the tournament and was named Most Valuable Player. She scored 20 against El Centro, which a night earlier soundly defeated No. 4 El Cajon Valley.

Rotary Tournament at Ramona

Kearny 58, University City 56--The Komets won despite 17 each by the Centurions’ Jenny Gross and Shauna Edwards. Stacy Krause had 17 for Kearny.