SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION IV-AA BOYS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Laguna Beach Escapes Late Foul Trouble for Victory

After playing nearly foul-free basketball for three quarters, Laguna Beach got into some big-time trouble with some foolish ones down the stretch against Encino Crespi Tuesday night.

But Trigg Garner bailed out the Artists, pulling down a defensive rebound with three seconds left and hitting two free throws with one second left to seal a 55-51 victory in a Division IV-AA first-round game at Laguna Beach.

The Artists (14-9) advance to the quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive season and will face Playa del Rey St. Bernard (11-14), which beat San Jacinto, 84-81.

But the Artists nearly blew it down the stretch against Crespi with silly fouls--nine in the fourth quarter, including two by Ian McDonald that nearly gave Crespi the game.

Laguna Beach was leading, 53-45, with 18 seconds left when McDonald fouled Crespi’s Scott Eshner as Eshner hit a three-point shot. In the aftermath of the play, McDonald bumped the official, who awarded him a technical and two more free throws to Crespi.

Eshner made all three free throws--two for the technical and one for the personal foul--to cap the rare six-point play. Crespi got the ball out of bounds, trailing, 53-51.

The Celts’ Jason Muir drove and missed a shot with three seconds left, and Garner pulled down the rebound and was fouled by Muir with a second remaining.

Garner swished both free throws to finish with a team-high 15 points.

Laguna Beach led by as many as 15 points in the second half, committing only five fouls over the first three quarters and playing nearly perfect defense in the second quarter.

But Crespi (12-13) made the Artist pay for some sloppy defense in the fourth quarter, making 11 of 14 free throws. Eshner scored 16 of his game-high 25 points in the quarter.

“I don’t know why our kids played like that,” Laguna Beach Coach Bret Fleming said. “I don’t think we played smart most of the night.”

Still, Fleming was pleased with the victory, and especially with Garner’s play. Taylor Butcher added 14 points, McDonald eight and Bob Jameson nine.

Fleming said the Artists were inspired by the return of Corey French, who had been hospitalized the last two weeks after a skateboarding accident.

French didn’t suit up but was introduced before the game to a standing ovation.

In another first-round game:

Corona del Mar 70, Hemet West Valley 61--Todd Merriman had 24 points and Eli Wendell had 12 points and 15 rebounds for visiting Corona del Mar (14-12), which advance to play Long Beach St. Anthony (11-14), a 59-52 winner over Los Angeles Murphy, in the quarterfinals Friday.