Mounties Outclass Alpaugh, 125-63

There was no hangover effect for Montclair Prep in the opening round of the Division V Southern California Regional boys’ basketball championships.

The Mounties, fresh off claiming their first Southern Section title since 1981, scored the first 10 points in the opening minute against Alpaugh and cruised to a 125-63 victory at Montclair Prep.

The top-seeded Mounties play host to La Jolla Country Day on Thursday.

Last year, Montclair Prep used a section title-game loss to Pasadena Poly as motivation for a state championship run. But if the Mounties’ effort Tuesday night was any indication, they need no more motivation.

The Mounties, particularly guards Scott Stark and Akil Anderson, used size, speed and quickness to dominate the Buffalos.

Stark scored 18 of his 32 points in the first quarter as Montclair Prep took a 31-21 lead.

“Usually I keep track of my points in my head,” Stark said. “It’s usually only about 14 a game. This time I lost track midway through the first quarter.”

The Mounties forced 18 first-half turnovers. Stark and Anderson each had six steals.

“We just overwhelmed them,” forward Anwawn Jones said. “We didn’t know anything about them. We just played our game.”

After eighth-seeded Alpaugh, runner-up in the Central Section, scored the first basket of the second quarter, the Mounties (27-3) went on a 14-0 run.

Montclair Prep outscored the Buffalos, 36-10, in the second quarter to take a 67-31 lead.

After making just two of his first seven shots, Jones recovered to finish with 27 points, including a thunderous dunk midway through the third quarter that brought the overflow crowd to its feet.

The returning Division V player of the year had a strong game defensively, finishing with 12 rebounds and six blocked shots.

Anderson finished with 16 points and 10 assists.

Montclair Prep’s starters remained in the game for three quarters. By the end of the third, Jones, a 6-foot-4 power forward, was bringing the ball up the floor.

“By that point, we were just having fun out there,” Jones said. “Everybody got to do different things than what they are used to doing.”

By the end of the fourth quarter, even the reserves got into the act. Rahshawn Jones, a 6-foot, 220-pound forward, was playing point guard and center Demetris Green tried a pair of three-point baskets.

Senior guard Paul Doty led Alpaugh (18-8) with 19 points and Jaime Calderon added 13.