Sylmar Shows It Isn’t Half Bad, 67-52

A high-scoring blowout victory it wasn’t.

But Sylmar High showed it has the patience to win a halfcourt game in a semifinal of the Hart boys’ basketball tournament on Tuesday night.

The Spartans defeated Royal, 67-52, as Jeremiah Turner scored 16 points and Branden Jacobs had 15.

Sylmar (12-3) moved into the championship game tonight against Cleveland, which beat Redmond (Wash.), 72-70, in the other semifinal.

It will be a rematch of a nonconference game played two weeks ago in which Sylmar defeated the Cavaliers, 75-68.

Royal (6-6) surprised many spectators with a 79-55 victory over Lynwood in the quarterfinals, but the Highlanders were unable to defeat a superior athletic team for the second game in a row.

Much of that was because of the 5-foot-11 Jacobs, who hit all three of his three-point shots in the first half, and the 6-6 Turner, who scored 11 of his 16 points in the first half while working within 10 feet of the rim.

“That felt good,” Jacobs said of his three-point baskets that helped Sylmar take a 34-13 lead at halftime. “That felt real good. I’ve been out here since 1:30 . . . taking shots because I haven’t been shooting the ball like I should be.”

Turner said the three-pointers helped open up his game inside.

“It opens it up inside and out,” he said. “Because then the defense doesn’t know how to react. They don’t know if you’re going to go inside or take the 20-footer.”

Sylmar held Royal to five-of-22 shooting in the first half.

The Highlanders were 15 of 28 in the second half, including seven of nine in the fourth quarter, but never got closer than 14 points, and that came in the final minute after Coach Bort Escoto of Sylmar substituted freely.

Matt Janousek scored 12 points and Matt Ronquillo had 11, but the Highlanders never recovered from an 11-0 Sylmar run during the second and third quarters.

Cleveland 72, Redmond (Wash.), 70--Brian Smith hit one of two free throws with seven seconds left for the Cavaliers (9-3) in a semifinal game.

Center Mike Brandt of Redmond (6-1) was fouled in the act of shooting with a second left, but missed both free throws, the second one intentionally in hopes his teammates might come up with the loose ball and a shot before time expired.

Cleveland (9-3) trailed, 57-54, with 7:06 left in the game before going on a 8-0 run to take a 62-57 lead with 5:09 remaining.

The Cavaliers held a 66-62 lead with 3:03 left, but Jeremy Treat of Redmond hit his second three-pointer in a 30-second span to cut Cleveland’s lead to 66-65 with 2:52 remaining.

Eric Bush had 20 points for Cleveland.

Treat scored 24 points for Redmond and Brandt had 23.

Hart 67, Palmdale 61--Kelly Weldon, a 6-8 center, had 19 points, 17 rebounds and six blocked shots to help the Indians (9-5) win a consolation game in overtime.