Anderson Scores 18 as Marina Wins

Marina’s basketball team continues to amaze just about everyone, especially Viking Coach Steve Popovich.

It was Viking guard Scott Anderson who had Popovich shaking his head Friday night.

Anderson came off the bench to score a career-high 18 points to lead Marina to a 70-59 victory over Moreno Valley Valley View in a Southern Section Division I-A first-round game at Marina.

Marina (18-9) will play Ventura Buena, a 93-77 winner over Saugus, in a second-round game Tuesday night. Valley View ended the season at 15-11.

Anderson, a 6-foot-3 senior and the Vikings’ backup point guard, led four Marina players in double figures. Darren Crooks and Brendan Lyons each scored 15 points, and Matt Keim overcame 0-for-5 shooting in the first half to finish with 12 points.

Keim and Anderson helped Marina erase a 31-27 halftime deficit, scoring eight points each in the third quarter as the Vikings outscored Valley View, 22-8.

The fourth quarter turned into a three-point shootout. Crooks hit two for Marina, and Tim Johnson and Corey Berry each hit two for Valley View. Marina made eight of 14 three-pointers for the game while Valley View made eight of 16.

“We’ve been shooting the three well all season, it has been part of our game plan,” Popovich said. “But we didn’t know Valley View was shooting it that well.”

Valley View cut the deficit to 54-49 with 5:21 remaining, but Keim and Anderson scored four points down the stretch to seal the victory.

B.J. Babic scored only four points for Marina, but he pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds, including eight offensive rebounds.

“B.J. did a great job on the boards and Matt (Keim) came around for us in the second half,” Popovich said.

Anderson came off the bench midway through the first quarter to replace starting point guard Vinny Perricone. Anderson made three of four shots in the first half, and Popovich started him in the second half.

“Scott was shooting well and he was getting him open down the lane for layups,” Popovich said.

Anderson’s performance Friday night was one of many surprises this season, Popovich said.

Few figured Marina to be a contender in the Sunset League after the loss of Cherokee Parks to graduation. But the Vikings, who lost to Santa Barbara in the section finals last season, went on to win the league and are making another run at the section championship.

“These guys have been surprising me all year,” Popovich said. “They surprised me by winning the league, and they beat a good team in Valley View tonight. There’s no telling how far they could go.”