Torrey Pines Removes Any Doubts : High school basketball: Pollard and Brown supply offense in the top-ranked Falcons’ 74-53 victory over Monte Vista, which loses Ehlke to injury.

End of argument.

Torrey Pines is the best high school basketball team in San Diego County.

The Falcons proved it all season and they drove the point home Saturday night, beating Monte Vista, 74-53, in the San Diego Section Division II boys’ championship at the San Diego Sports Arena.

“This is what we should have done,” said Torrey Pines center Scot Pollard, who finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots. “This is what everyone thought we should do. And this is what we wanted to do. Anything else would have been a letdown.”

The Falcons, incidentally, were presented golf caps afterward with the inscription: “Just Did It.”

Did they ever.

“They got to us,” Monte Vista senior forward Aaron Elliott said. “They shot the ball real well. They’re a great team. I think they’re going to do real well in state (playoffs).”

Torrey Pines, the tallest team in the county, also might be the best shooting team around. The Falcons made 27 of 46 attempts (58.7%) from the field, including seven of 11 from three-point range.

Pollard, at 6 feet 11, was as efficient as he has been throughout the playoffs and regular season.

Senior forward Craig Brown (6-5 1/2) made four three-pointers and finished with 19 points--14 in the first quarter--and nine rebounds. Senior forward Peter Bates (6-7 1/2) had 13 points and five rebounds.

“I didn’t shoot too well in warm-ups,” Brown said. “But once the game started, I started stroking it, and it all fell into place after that.”

For Monte Vista, junior forward Marty Ellis and senior guard Paul Watson scored 15 apiece, Ellis getting 11 in the first quarter and Watson making four three-pointers. Elliott scored the Monarchs’ first seven points, but had only six free throws the rest of the way.

Matt Ehlke, Monte Vista’s emotional captain and third-leading scorer, sprained his left ankle five minutes into the game and never returned.

“Physically, we just died without Matt in there,” Elliott said. “He’s the backbone of the team. He’s an emotional freak.”

In winning its second title in three years, Torrey Pines completed a perfect season against San Diego opponents. After starting 8-3, the Falcons have won 19 in a row heading into Tuesday’s first round of the Southern California Regionals, a game they will host.

Until Saturday, Monte Vista was the only team in the county with a better record than Torrey Pines. The Monarchs (25-3) also will play Tuesday, but at an out-of-town site to be determined.

Monte Vista kept it close for three quarters, but Torrey Pines had a rebuttal for every push the Monarchs could muster.

It was 19-9 midway through the first quarter, but Monte Vista rallied to score 16 of the next 19 points to take a 25-22 lead early in the second quarter. Ellis scored 11 of those 16, Watson (three-pointer) and Mike Tully (15-foot baseline jumper) the other five.

Pollard, however, followed Monte Vista’s run with one his numerous running two-handed dunks and two free throws, and Steve Lemery made a three-point to put the Falcons back on top, 29-25, with 4:41 left.

Then after Watson made a three-pointer, Torrey Pines scored the next nine points and 12 of the final 14 of the half to go up 41-30.

Monte Vista pulled within five, 43-38, 3:00 into the second half, but a few minutes later, it was 54-40.

“We stayed No. 1 all year,” Pollard said. “And that’s tough to do. When you’re No. 1, you always get everyone’s best game.”

With Torrey Pines, however, it didn’t matter.