Dice Scores 39 to Lead Alemany, 74-67

The Alemany High boys’ basketball team paid little heed to Coach Kurt Keller’s pregame instructions to pound the ball inside in a Southern Section Division II-A first-round playoff game against visiting Redondo on Friday night.

The Indians were content to open the game firing away from long range and found themselves in a halftime tie as a result.

But Alemany complied in the second half and rallied behind senior swingman Richard Dice to win, 74-67.

“I lit into them at halftime,” Keller said. “And in the second half, they did what they were supposed to do.”

Alemany followed Keller’s request after intermission, namely, to get the ball to Dice, who responded with 39 points, 28 in the second half.

Three players fouled out for Redondo (13-14), and most of the fouls were called in an attempt to slow Dice, who made 20 of 25 free throws.

Dice also had 14 rebounds.

“We knew they didn’t have much depth from when we scouted them,” said Keller, whose team advanced to the semifinal round last season. “When we went inside, they kept fouling Rich.”

Mike Smith had 13 points for Alemany and Chris Walker added 10.