SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION IV-AA BOYS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Laguna Beach Stars in Its Own Show

Laguna Beach’s boys’ basketball team staged a playoff dress rehearsal Tuesday night, and just about everybody got into the act.

Twelve of 13 Laguna Beach players scored as the Artists blew out Pasadena Marshall, 92-68, in a Southern Section Division IV-AA qualifying game at Laguna Beach.

Laguna Beach, which led by as many as 37 points in the second half, will play at Los Angeles Cathedral in a first-round game Friday night.

Tuesday night’s game was little more than a tuneup for the Artists (15-10), who built a 17-point, first-quarter lead and did not let Marshall (5-17) get any closer.

Brad Berberian scored 20 points and had a game-high 10 rebounds, and Darren Gravley scored 20 points and added four steals for the Artists.

Fans lost interest in the game by halftime, after Laguna Beach built a 56-23 lead.

But they cheered loudly in the fourth quarter for reserve Kevin Karg, who played sparingly and failed to score. His only shot--a three-pointer--bounced in and out the rim with two seconds left.

Laguna Beach Coach Bret Fleming wasn’t wild about playing a qualifying game. The Artists were the only one of the eight qualifying teams with a winning record, and their next opponent, Cathedral, is 11-11.

“Part of going to the playoffs is facing tough competition,” Fleming said. “I’m not trying to put Marshall down, but sometimes you get games like this when you play in a qualifying round.

“We went from playing teams like Estancia and Trabuco Hills (in Pacific Coast League play) to this game, then it will get a little tougher on Friday.”

Fleming said he knows little about Cathedral.

“I do know that Cathedral beat Marshall twice,” he said. “So that says something.”

Fleming pulled his starters at the start of the fourth quarter, with the Artists leading, 72-41.

“It was nice to get everyone some floor time tonight,” Fleming said. “I told the kids at halftime to try and stay structured out there, but they didn’t. It turned out to be racehorse basketball at times.”

Despite ragged play by both teams, Fleming found little to be unhappy about.

The Artists made 34 of 68 attempts from the field and 24 of 27 free throw attempts. But they committed 21 turnovers--11 during fourth-quarter garbage time--and missed on all 11 three-point attempts, normally one of the team’s strengths.