SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION II BOYS : Vaughn Leads Muir Past Artesia, 70-63

Jacque Vaughn had a game-high 23 points and added 15 assists and seven steals to lead Muir High to a 70-63 victory over Artesia in the CIF Southern Section Division II-A championship at UC Irvine’s Bren Center.

Muir (27-5), which in the last two seasons was knocked out in earlier rounds, had a 37-34 halftime lead and outscored Artesia, 11-2, to start the second half and gain a 48-36 advantage with 4:18 to play in the third quarter.

Artesia (25-4) rallied to make it 58-57 with 4:05 to play.

But Muir went on a 12-3 run to finish the game, six of those on free throws.

“Our defense was our best offense,” Muir Coach Bill (Rocky) Moore said. Muir had 11 steals and Artesia turned the ball over 18 times.

Muir’s Michael O’Quinn had 20 points and shut down Charles O’Bannon, who made only four of 19 shots. The 6-foot-6 O’Bannon finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

“With Charles, we just tried to create as much havoc around him as we could to get him out of his rhythm,” Moore said.

J.W. North 75, Dominguez 72--J.W. North remained perfect by defeating Dominguez, 75-72, in a Division II-AA game at Bren Center.

North (30-0) led, 71-61, with 1:44 to play when Dominguez’s full-court pressure caused three consecutive turnovers that led to six points. North, which led by as many as 14 points, led by only four with 59 seconds to play.

However, Jason Essex and Orie Benjamin each converted both free throws to rebuild North’s advantage.

North’s Edward Gray led all scorers with 33 points. Orie Benjamin had 17 and Essex 14.

Jamie Gillian had 30 points for Dominguez (25-3).

Dominguez led in the first quarter and for most of the second before North was able to get its offense going.

“That (falling behind early) happens a lot to us,” North Coach Mike Bartee said. “I don’t think our athletes get scared, they just get it done.”