Falcons Earn Win at Poway

The way Peter Bates finished off Poway High’s championship hopes Friday night, you would think he was related to Norman Bates. Instead of being nicknamed “Bull,” maybe “Psycho” would be more appropriate.

Bates scored a game-high 19 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lift top-ranked Torrey Pines to a 50-44 Palomar League victory over sixth-ranked Poway in the final league meeting between the two schools. Torrey Pines, which is going to the Avocado League next year, has won or shared the league title the past four years, sharing last year’s with Poway. The Falcons lead second-place and fourth-ranked Vista (14-7, 8-2) and Poway by four games.

The Falcons (19-3, 10-0) thus became the first school since the Torrey Pines team of 1989-90 to win at Poway (17-7, 6-4). The Titans out-rebounded Torrey Pines, 34-31, and had their opportunities to win if they had only shot better than 16 of 48 (38%) from the field. Torrey Pines, meanwhile, made 20 of 44 (45%).

In winning, Torrey Pines showed that it could win without a strong performance by its two leading scorers. Six-foot-11 Scot Pollard (18.6 points per game) scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but Torrey Pines wiped out a five-point deficit in the second quarter when Pollard went to the bench in foul trouble and reserve Steve Lemery (six points) hit three baskets in the 15- to 18-foot range.

And Craig Brown (17.7), who scored 31 points in Torrey Pines’ 68-56 victory over Poway in the first round, scored only four points.

“You never know on this team which guy is going to have a big night,” Torrey Pines Coach John Farrell said. “That’s why you’ve got to play a lot of guys early.”

Instead, Bates (6-7) had the biggest game of his life and Lemery came off the bench in the second quarter and saved the Falcons’ tail feathers.

“I haven’t been playing very good,” said Bates, who has averaged 10.6 points per game this season. “I’m lucky to be on a great team, that can still win when I don’t play well.

“Craig and Scott have been carrying the team. Other teams realize that and concentrate on them, so I’ve been more open and looking to score more.”

Bates made himself noticed, especially to Poway Coach Doug Wealch.

Bates, who declared before the season he was going to attend Southern Methodist, scored only four points in the first game. But he scored Torrey Pines’ last basket of the third quarter to give the Falcons a 39-35 lead, and then reeled off Torrey Pines’ first six points of the fourth quarter.