SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREP BASKETBALL REGIONALS : DIVISION IV BOYS : Gardena Serra Ousts Corona del Mar

For three quarters, Corona del Mar had an answer for every run Gardena Serra made. But the Sea Kings had no response for Milton Palacios, who scored 21 of his 29 points in the second half to lead the Cavaliers to a 76-64 victory Tuesday night.

Palacios, a 6-foot-3 senior, had 11 fourth-quarter points and also finished with nine rebounds and eight assists to lead Serra to the first-round Southern Regional Division IV boys’ basketball playoff victory at Corona del Mar.

Paul Foster, who had 17 points, had nine first-half points to help balance Serra’s attack and he made six free throws in the final two minutes to seal the victory.

Serra (18-12) advanced to the second round to play at top-seeded San Diego Lincoln Prep, a 78-46 winner over Corcoran. Corona del Mar, the Southern Section Division IV-AA champion, ends 18-12.

Serra, the Division IV-A runner-up, led by as many as 10 through the first three quarters. But every time the Cavaliers looked as if they would put Corona del Mar away, the Sea Kings responded with Brian Fracalosy (24 points) and Dominic DeGrazier (17 points) leading the charge.

But after falling behind, the Sea Kings were forced to play the game at Serra’s speed. Corona del Mar entered the game with a 1-5 record when their opponents scored 70 or more points. Tuesday, the Sea Kings allowed a season-high 76 points (Estancia also defeated Corona del Mar, 76-68).

“The game got a little too up-tempo for us,” said Corona del Mar Coach Paul Orris. “But it was hard to tell our guys not to take those (quick) shots because by in large, they were good shots. They didn’t fall. What do you do?”

Serra led 33-23 with two minutes remaining in the second quarter, but Fracalosy scored five points and had two steals then DeGrazier added another basket at the buzzer to close the Sea Kings to within three points at halftime.

Serra scored the first six points of the third quarter, but Brian Coleman (11 points) and DeGrazier keyed a 13-2 run in a 2:14 span to give the Sea Kings their first lead, 43-41.

Then Palacios got hot. He scored 10 points in the final 3:47 of the third quarter to give Serra the lead, 53-50. Palacios helped push the lead to 10 with with 3:01 left and Corona del Mar would get no closer than six points the rest of the way.