Thrilling Endings Were Commonplace When Laz Was Around

Around the office, we call staffer Michael Lazarus “Mr. Excitement.” Well, actually, we call him Laz, but basketball fans find excitement whenever he walks into the gym.

Eight of the 15 boys’ basketball games Mike covered this season came down to the last shot.

A common trick among sportswriters wanting to make deadline is to begin writing during the fourth quarter.

Laz learned never to write a single word until the final buzzer.

A look at the scorebook, according to Laz:

Chatsworth 69, Grant 68--Eddie Miller of Chatsworth makes a six-foot bank shot shot with 19 seconds to play in a North Hollywood tournament first-round game. Grant’s Donald Patterson tries an 18-foot shot off an inbounds play as time expires, but the shot bounces off the rim.

Chatsworth 65, Banning 63--Banning’s three-point shot at the buzzer fails in the second round of the North Hollywood tournament. For the second straight game, Chatsworth blew a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter, only to leave the outcome to the last shot. Two games into the season, the Laz Factor has been established.

Santa Clara 63, Santa Paula 62 (2OTs)--The Santa Clara gym was already packed when Laz showed up to cover this game, and he had to talk his way in. Chris Canon of Santa Paula misses two free throws and Ben Tryk gets the rebound but misses the shot as time expires in regulation. Manuel Escamilla misses free throws in the first overtime that could have allowed Santa Paula to snap Santa Clara’s league winning streak at 88 games.

Santa Paula 52, Santa Clara 49--Santa Clara’s streak ends at 91, second-longest is Southern Section history, but Laz’s streak lives on when Santa Clara’s Damien Smith loses his dribble and fails to launch a last-second three-pointer that could have tied the score.

Pius X 39, Santa Clara 38--For more than 39 minutes, this Southern Section IV-A quarterfinal was a yawner for fans who didn’t know Laz was in the house. Then came the drama. Pius X has four inbounds plays in the final 16 seconds, Santa Clara has fouls to give, yet Troy Collins sinks an impossible three-pointer off an inbounds pass to give Pius X the upset.

Fremont 54, Chatsworth 52--Jerome Joseph, a Chatsworth standout all season, runs into the Laz Factor when he dribbles the length of the court and collides with a Fremont player eight feet from the basket as the clock expires in this City Section 4-A quarterfinal. The Chancellors, who benefited twice from Last-Shot Laz early in the season, are eliminated. Live by Laz, die by Laz.

Montclair Prep 73, Brentwood 71--Montclair Prep loves Laz, who always adds pizazz to the end of a game. The Mounties come back in the final minute and win this Southern Section V-AA semifinal when Brentwood’s Teddy Miller misses a 10-foot shot while being triple-teamed as time expires.

Montclair Prep 59, San Diego Horizon Christian 58--With Laz in the corner of his eye, Montclair Prep’s Scott Stark sinks a 15-footer with seven seconds to play in this Southern California regional final. Horizon moves the ball up the court quickly but Ray Harrington misses a 30-foot shot.

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Despite the tribulations of facing a second investigation of his program in less than a year, Simi Valley baseball Coach Mike Scyphers has been gratified by the play of his team.

In fact, that’s all he will address.

“I’m not going to discuss my situation; the story is the kids,” he said after Simi Valley split a doubleheader with Chaminade on Saturday. “This isn’t fair to the kids. When I’m good and ready, I’ll tell everybody in God’s country what my situation is.”

The Pioneers are off to a 6-2 start, including back-to-back shutouts earlier this week.

Scyphers’ situation might also include a change of scenery next school year. No one could blame him for being fed up at this point.

Jack Dyck, athletic director at Sandpoint High in Idaho, has actively recruited Scyphers for the school’s baseball job. Dyck is a former Beverly Hills High basketball coach and a teammate of Scyphers on the Cal State Northridge basketball team in the 1970s.

Scyphers visited the school in January, raising Dyck’s hopes that Scyphers will take the position.

“I know the kind of person Mike is and I’m confident of his moral makeup,” Dyck said. “If there is a better coach, better person and better teacher, I want to see him. I’d love to see Mike up here.”

Until that decision is made, Scyphers is focusing on Simi Valley--and is pleased with the results. Four Pioneer pitchers combined to blank Crespi, 3-0, Monday, and Edison, 6-0, Tuesday. Scyphers, who in 17 years has 332 victories, cannot remember his teams ever posting back-to-back shutouts.

Just as amazing is the players’ ability to remain focused on baseball while their coach fights illegal-recruiting charges. The high school disciplined Scyphers after a parent accused the coach of influencing his son to enroll at Simi Valley.

“Our kids have not let the off-the-field situation affect them and I’m unbelievably pleased with the way we’ve been playing,” Scyphers said. “I’ve heard nothing but positive things from parents and everyone has been supportive.”