Estancia Up to Speed, but Pacifica Still Wins : Division III-A: Eagles come out running, but the Mariners streak off with a 94-72 victory to advance.

Pacifica, that whirlwind of a basketball team, found someone who would come out and play Friday night.

Estancia wasn’t going to hold the ball or play it cagey. The Eagles were going to throw caution to the wind and run with the Mariners.

When the running was done, the Mariners had a 94-72 victory at Pacifica to advance to the second round of the Southern Section III-A boys’ basketball playoffs. They will play Pasadena Blair on Tuesday.

“We came to run,” said Mariner center Jonathan Surface, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds. “They did to. It was great.”

It was, that is, from the Pacifica side.

The Eagles played at their normal tempo; Pacifica was just better at it. As any Garden Grove League coach will attest, you don’t run-and-gun with the Mariners (24-1). You don’t even jog with them.

Pacifica rolled to the league title with a press-and-stress style. Opposing teams made a point not to play tag with the Mariners, but Estancia (15-11) would have none of that.

“We knew they were a running team,” guard Chris Vlasic said. “We were anxious for this game to begin.”

Vlasic certainly was ready. He scored six points in 30 seconds in the first quarter. Vlasic made 10 of 16 shots and finished with 27 points.

He had plenty of help.

Ramon Alliman scored 17 and Ryan Teague 15. The Mariners came at the Eagles in waves. They used 11 players in the first quarter and wore the Eagles down. Pacifica forced 29 turnovers, many of which were converted into points off the fast break.

“When love to play at the pace,” Surface said. “We have lots of players and we keep coming at people.”

Pacifica didn’t waste much time in its set offense, either. The Mariners made 11 three-pointers. Even Surface, their 6-foot-8 center, stepped outside--but not out of character--and sank three three-pointers.

Estancia never had a chance. Whatever the Eagles did, the Mariners did better.

The Eagles’ Mike Drake did a sharp stop-and-pop move, slicing between two defenders in the third quarter. Vlasic came right back and, sandwiched between two defenders, scooped a shot in under their arms and was fouled.

The Mariners pulled away with a series of runs. They outscored Estancia, 11-2, to take a 25-16 lead at the end of the first quarter. Pacifica went on a 14-0 tear in the second quarter and led, 57-37 at halftime. A 14-2 run made it 76-47 with 1 minute 16 seconds left in the third quarter.

“We’re relentless,” Pacifica Coach Bob Becker said. “We don’t back off.”

Neither did the Eagles. They were just run off.