DIVISION I-A : Chargers Cool Off Panthers

Edison didn’t know a lot, but it knew about the threes.

Going into its Division I-A Southern Section quarterfinal boys’ basketball game against Orange Tuesday night at Estancia High, Edison had done enough homework to know the Panthers could shoot accurately from as far away at they need to.

But through a combination of cold shooting by Orange and Edison’s stand-and-deliver defense, the Chargers took care of the Panthers’ usually lethal outside threat and won, 63-53.

“We knew they had some good three-point shooters, so we wanted to try to knock those down and not let them get any baskets in transition,” Edison forward Micah Kroeger said.

The Chargers (18-9) were successful enough on both counts.

Gil Gonzales, who averaged 14 points during the regular season and scored 24 against in a second-round game against Corona Friday, was held to a paltry four points--all on free throws--and was zero for 11 from the field.

“We’ve lived or died by perimeter shooting all year long, and we died by it tonight,” Orange Coach Richard Bossenmeyer said. “I don’t know if it was their defense or our shooting. . . . It was our coldest shooting all year, but you have to give them credit. They did a good job on us.”

Orange broke the 24-24 halftime tie with a quick three-pointer by forward Pat Harris, who scored a game-high 21 points. But consecutive inside baskets by Ali Tofighi, Darrell Adams and Kroeger and two free throws by Kroeger gave Edison a 32-27 lead. Orange (23-4) pulled back to within two, but after three quarters, the Chargers led, 40-37.

Early in the fourth, with Edison leading, 43-39, Kroeger had a steal and was fouled during the easy layup that appeared to extend the Chargers lead to six. But officials didn’t see the shot go in and Edison settled for the two-shot foul. Kroeger made one of the free throws.

After Adams connected on a long three-pointer, Edison had one of its biggest leads of the night, 47-39, but Orange wasn’t folding.

Nestor Cabalo went on a mini streak and scored his third three-pointer of the quarter with 46 seconds remaining and hit a free throw to pull the Panthers to 56-52. But all Orange could do was foul Edison and by then, the Chargers were hitting both ends of their free throws.

Kroeger, who finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, credited Ben Beard (17 points, 10 rebounds) for his rebounding in the first half.

“Without Ben pulling down those offensive boards, we would have been down by six or seven at the half,” he said.