Bell-Jeff Uses Swing in Defensive Action

In fewer than four months, Peter Swing of Bell-Jeff High leaves for boot camp. He has already enlisted in the Marines.

He’s good at following orders, as he demonstrated Friday night in a Southern Section boys’ basketball Division IV-A quarterfinal playoff game.

Told to guard high-scoring Frank Vasquez of L.A. Baptist all over the court in a box-and-one defense, Swing took Vasquez out of the game. His defensive effort helped Bell-Jeff beat the Knights, 58-51, at St. Genevieve High.

Vasquez, averaging 22 points, made only three of 14 shots and finished with seven points. The Knights (12-13) appeared confused and hesitant on offense throughout the game.

Bell-Jeff (18-12) earned a spot in next Friday’s semifinals. As usual, the Guards relied on their inside-outside duo of Mike West and Ruben Douglas. West scored 22 points and had 14 rebounds; Douglas contributed 24 points, four steals and four assists.

L.A. Baptist was able to stay close because Douglas, averaging 34.8 points, was struggling with his shooting. He made only 10 of 25 shots.

“Tonight, Ruben had no legs,” Bell-Jeff Coach Eli Essa said.

The Knights trailed, 24-20, at halftime after scoring six consecutive points in the final 48 seconds. They hurt Bell-Jeff with a full-court press. The problem was they couldn’t press unless they scored a basket.

In the second half, L.A. Baptist twice fell behind by 10 before closing to 44-40 with 4:24 remaining on a basket by Cameron Craig.

Then West and Douglas took charge. Bell-Jeff’s lead grew to 14 points with 1:29 left.

Even on an off night, the Arizona-bound Douglas showed off his immense talent. He finished with five dunks.

For the Guards to reach the semifinals with a team Essa said would lose to last year’s 21-6 quarterfinalist team by “20 to 25 points” indicates how well they play as a group.

“We get along better,” West said. “That’s why we’ve gone farther.”

West and Douglas have been the stars all season, but there are some unsung heroes too.

Sean Doyle, a soccer player who didn’t come out for basketball until late in the season, made four free throws in the fourth quarter. And there was Swing, who was kicked off the team briefly in December.

Swing’s aggressive man-to-man defense on Vasquez left the Knights bewildered. Craig had 12 points and Evan Reganstreif 11, but L.A. Baptist never figured out how to effectively attack the box-and-one defense.

“We felt if we took No. 25 [Vasquez] out of the game right away, we’d confuse them because he’s the heart and soul of their team,” Essa said.

Swing joked that he guarded Vasquez so close he knew what kind of gum he was chewing.

Essa is having a hard time believing his team is in the semifinals.

“It’s past midnight, and Cinderella and the carriage haven’t shown up yet,” he said. “We’ll keep on playing.”