SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Mission Viejo Wins in 2 Overtimes

It’s hard to walk away when you’re on a roll.

Mission Viejo boys’ basketball Coach Bob Minier, rumored to be retiring when the season is over, has at least one game left to coach--and maybe more.

The Diablos came from behind to defeat Cypress, 61-56, in double overtime in a Southern Section Division II-A qualifying game Tuesday at Cypress. Mission Viejo (7-16) advances to the first round Friday night at Villa Park.

“That’s four in a row for us,” Minier said. “We’ve been playing better the last couple of weeks, and a lot of these guys are coming back next year, so who knows? Maybe I’ll be back, too.”

Then again, maybe not.

“It’s possible that it might be time for me to walk away when we’re done (this year),” said Minier, who has a 218-131 record in 13 seasons at Mission Viejo.

Mission Viejo guard Kurt Zimmerman was the main reason Minier gets at least one more chance to sit on the bench. Zimmerman led a fourth-quarter Diablo rally, scoring 10 of his team-high 16 points in the quarter when Mission Viejo came back three times from six-point deficits.

Zimmerman scored each of Mission Viejo’s baskets to close the gap after Cypress (10-15) had opened leads of 42-36, 46-40 and 48-42. Zimmerman’s three-point play after a steal with 3 minutes 7 seconds left brought Mission Viejo to within 48-45.

With 1:28 left, Zimmerman made another three-point play after rebounding a Jeff Carr miss and scoring while being fouled. The free throw tied the score at 48.

Both teams scored again to make it 50-50 at the end of regulation.

The Diablos took a 52-50 lead early in the first overtime on Rob Cullinan’s basket, but Cypress regained the lead on a three-point play by Chad Triplett. Cullinan’s free throw with 1:53 left in overtime again tied the score, and neither team scored again in the first overtime.

Carr scored on a layup to start the second overtime, and Cypress never caught up. Zimmerman extended the lead to 57-53 with 32 seconds left, and clinched the game with a free throw to make it 58-53 with 20 seconds left.

In Division I-AA qualifying games:

Glendale Hoover 74, Santa Ana 63--Aaron Morales had 24 points in a losing effort for the visiting Saints (6-19).

Fountain Valley 85, Downey Warren 82--Fountain Valley’s Ara Petrosian and Guy Vaccaro made two free throws each in the final 10 seconds to clinch the victory. Fountain Valley advances to the first round Friday at second-seed Capistrano Valley (23-3).

Lakewood 62, Dana Hills 25--Dana Hills Coach Tom Reich said he decided to enter the playoffs despite a 2-21 record because he thought postseason play would be a good experience for his young team. But host Lakewood (20-6) opened a 19-7 lead in the first quarter and breezed to a 37-point victory.

Westminster 76, San Gabriel 66--Paul Frechette scored 17 points and teammate Cordy Stegall added 16 as Westminster (7-19) upset host San Gabriel (16-10). Westminster will travel to Quartz Hill (16-7) Friday for a first-round playoff game.

In Division V-AA:

Capistrano Valley Christian 64, Western Christian 51--Troy Rodarmel had 20 points and six steals for host Capistrano Valley Christian (12-12), which advanced to play at Los Angeles Lutheran in the first round Friday.