SUNSET LEAGUE : Ocean View Goes on Tear in Stretch

The Ocean View boys’ basketball team scored the final 17 points of the game for a 64-47 victory over host Edison Wednesday night in Sunset League play.

The score was tied, 47-47, with three minutes remaining when Ocean View (9-6, 5-1) scored the next 17 points. The victory broke a second-place tie with Edison and left Ocean View Coach Jim Harris scratching his head.

“I can’t figure this group out,” Harris said. “We had three really good practices this week and then everyone came out in the first half looking for someone else to do something.”

Instead, it was Edison (12-5, 4-2) that came out firing as the Chargers opened a 27-16 lead late in the second quarter. Reserve Ali Tofighi made two baskets in a row to give Edison the 11-point lead, and only some outside shooting by Ocean View guard Jimmy Harris kept the Seahawks that close.

Ocean View didn’t take its first lead of the game until there was 4:31 remaining to play. Guard Sean Goodgame’s first of three three-point baskets in the last quarter pushed the Seahawks ahead, 46-45, and the game remained close for two more minutes.

Goodgame’s second three-pointer of the quarter with 2:16 remaining to play gave Ocean View a 52-47 lead and signaled the beginning of the end for Edison. Ocean View made 11 of 14 free throws down the stretch to turn a close game into a rout.

“You have to credit their good defense for taking us out of our offense,” Edison Coach Jon Borchert said. “They’re a good team, and when they shoot like they did in the second half, they’re an excellent team.”

Harris said his team has traditionally had problems dealing with Edison’s methodical style of play and slower tempo but credited Goodgame for sparking the fourth-quarter rally.

“Sean had disappeared the last six games,” Harris said. “He was turning the ball over and looking as lethargic as everyone else in the first half. I keep wondering when this team is going to put four quarters together. I hope to see it soon.”

Harris’ son, Jimmy, led all scorers with 25 points. He made eight of 17 shots and was seven of 10 at the free throw line. Micah Kroeger had 13 points for Edison but managed only four points in the second half. But then, Edison’s team had only 16 points in the second half.

“It’s a young team that’s going to make young mistakes and play inconsistently at times,” Borchert said.

In other league games:

Westminster 72, Marina 67--Bobby Ishii, a senior guard, led Westminster (7-10, 1-5) with 34 points. Vald Lieto led Marina (9-8, 2-3) with 22.

Fountain Valley 57, Servite 45--Brandon Leimbach scored 16 points for Fountain Valley (10-6, 4-2). David Downs led Servite with 14 points.

Huntington 70, Santa Ana 40--Tony Gonzalez had 18 points to lead Huntington Beach (16-3, 6-0). Darnell Adamson and Gus Garcia each had seven points for Santa Ana (5-11, 1-5).