Agoura Runs Away From Canoga Park in Final Minutes

It’s a different brand of basketball than the Agoura High team is used to, especially when it’s their second game of the season.

The Chargers better get used to it.

After defeating Canoga Park, 77-67, in an up-tempo game in the first round of the Beverly Hills boys’ tournament on Tuesday, Agoura Coach Bill Sanchez watched Hamilton defeat Culver City, 83-74, in a run-and-gun dunkfest.

Agoura and Hamilton play at 5 p.m. today.

“We don’t play like this out in Ventura County,” Sanchez said. “Maybe with Channel Islands but they have a more structured defense.”

The Chargers (2-0) took a 64-63 lead with 4:34 to play on a fast-break layup by Marcus Helfman.

Nick Aguirre drove down the lane a minute later to pull the Hunters (1-5) to within 68-67. But Agoura finished the game with a 9-0 run.

“I think we just got tired in the fourth quarter,” Hunter Coach Ralph Turner said.

After building a 29-15 lead midway through the second quarter, Sanchez said he had thoughts of slowing down the Hunters, but let it go to see how his team would react.

“The thought crossed my mind,” Sanchez said. “But when I see the opportunities I’m just like the kids, I want to get the easy baskets. The opportunities were plentiful, the problem is finishing.”

Despite making 32 of 65 shots, the Chargers missed several layups and turned the ball over 18 times against the Hunters’ full-court pressure. None of those turnovers came in the final 3:30.

Helfman collected 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocked shots. Paul Saunders added 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Brandon Meyer had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Charles Harper, one of four Hunter starters who did not start because they missed practice, came in midway through the first quarter and finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Aguirre had 13 points.

Birmingham 51, Buena 49--Stanley Fletcher scored eight of his 14 points in the fourth quarter and the Braves rallied to win.

Buena (1-4) had a chance to tie with 18 seconds left to play, but lost control of the ball.

Birmingham (3-0) trailed, 38-31, after three quarters, but went on a 14-6 run to start the fourth. Fletcher’s dunk with 3:46 left capped the run and gave Birmingham its first lead, 45-44.

Ryan Fay of Buena made five of eight three-pointers through three quarters, including four of seven as the Bulldogs built a 25-20 halftime lead. But he made but one of four in the fourth quarter, finishing with 25 points and seven rebounds.

Jerome Riley had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Braves, who play Cleveland today at 3:30.

Cleveland 2, Highland 0--The Cavaliers (3-0) won by forfeit when the Bulldogs failed to show for the 3 p.m. game because they thought it was at 9.