Agoura Shocks Thousand Oaks With Late Rally

After failing to score in the first quarter, Agoura High overwhelmed Thousand Oaks in the final quarter to earn an improbable 41-36 victory in a Marmonte League opener Wednesday night.

Agoura outscored the three-time defending Marmonte champion Lancers, 23-9, in the final eight minutes after being on the wrong end of a 12-0 score at the close of the opening quarter.

Junior guard Maurice Moore led the Chargers (7-4) by scoring six of his 13 points--including the go-ahead basket--during the final period.

“We were not very patient in the first quarter,” said Charger Coach Kevin Pasky, whose team missed all 13 of its shots in the first eight minutes. “We were passing the ball once and putting up the first three we saw. We finally started to move the ball around and look for shots inside. That’s how Maurice got off a good shot.”

Moore’s five-foot jump shot at the left of the lane gave the Chargers their first lead, 37-36, with 1:10 to play. The Lancers (9-4) then committed a turnover trying to inbound the ball.

Benon Ureda made two free throws to give the Chargers a 39-36 lead with 30 seconds to play. Lancer forward Jason Hartman (11 points, 13 rebounds) tried to tie the score with a three-point shot which rattled inside the rim and popped out. Agoura’s Brian Laibow grabbed the rebound with seven seconds left, was fouled and made two free throws.

Agoura made three of 22 shots in the first half and 13 of 45 in the game. Thousand Oaks, which was unbeaten in league play last season, made 16 of 51 shots and committed 17 turnovers.

“Even in the first quarter, we knew we would come back,” Ureda said. “It’s not a good habit to get down like that, but we’ve come back a lot of times.”