Santa Margarita Shocked by Esperanza’s Turnaround

Esperanza’s first-year Coach John Cyrus III endured a rough week, but his team’s 46-28 victory over host Santa Margarita in the first round of the Southern Section Division I-AA boys’ basketball playoffs Friday gave him reason to smile a little.

Though Esperanza suffered a 21-point drubbing to Santa Margarita Jan. 3, the Aztecs stunned the Eagles Friday with tough defense, holding them to 25% (11 of 44) shooting from the field, and a balanced and patient offense.

Drew Gaulden, who also had 13 rebounds, and Matt Munson each scored 10 points and reserve Jason Dillard scored nine points on three three-pointers for the Aztecs, who shot 50% from the field in the final three quarters.

But Cyrus wasn’t taking credit for any new stratagems to account for the 39-point turnaround.

“Kids win games,” Cyrus said. “Coaches lose them.”

Esperanza (15-12) advanced to Wednesday’s second round to play Long Beach Jordan, a 71-60 winner over Lynwood. But winning this playoff game seemed like a stretch considering Santa Margarita (18-7) won the regular season meeting, 87-66, and the Aztecs had to deal with other obstacles.

“It had to be toughest on Coach Cyrus,” senior guard Richard Kim said, “since his father died last Saturday. It was hard. But the whole varsity went to the funeral Wednesday and we all came together as a team.”

From the beginning, the Aztecs showed they were different. Esperanza worked the ball around for more than a minute on its first possession, and though it ended in a turnover, it set the tone.

“I don’t think we’ve done something like that all year,” Kim said.

Said Cyrus: “We like to run. But we’ll do whatever it takes to win.”

Santa Margarita never threatened after Esperanza seized control of the game with a 9-0 run midway through the third quarter to take a 31-20 lead. The Eagles’ off-shooting night included a miserable four-for-21 performance from three-point range.

Ryan Forehan-Kelly’s jumper with 1 minute 18 seconds remaining in the third quarter was the only basket in a 10 1/2-minute second-half span for the Eagles.

Santa Margarita’s leading scorer, Brad Gloger, entered the game averaging 17 points. Friday, he scored six points, making only two of 14 shots from the field, after scoring 27 in the first meeting.

“Our kids used their heads tonight,” Cyrus said. “I knew we would get better.”

In another game:

Capistrano Valley 65, Century 55--Dan Galvanoni had 24 points and seven assists and Ryan Thurlow had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Capistrano Valley (17-9), which outscored Century, 23-15, in the fourth quarter. The Cougars will play Long Beach Wilson, a 61-51 overtime winner over Los Alamitos.

Chris Lopez scored 22 points for Century (16-9).