On Balance, Hart Advances, 64-55

For just the third time this season, senior guard J.T. Stotts did not lead the Hart High boys’ basketball team in scoring.

Coach David Montgomery didn’t mind a bit.

Jerry Owens scored 18 points for Hart, which coasted to a 64-55 victory over St. John Bosco on Friday night in a Southern Section Division I-A first-round playoff game at Hart.

Stotts, who had 42 points against Valencia in the regular-season finale, had 17 points and six assists, and Jeff Whitmore added 10 points for the Indians (18-9).

“We can win without him scoring 42 points,” Montgomery said of Hart’s top scorer, who averages 23 points a game. “In fact, I like it better when everyone contributes like tonight.”

Nine players scored for Hart, which made seven of 12 three-point shots.

“When we have that many players scoring and when we play great team defense, we’re a tough team to beat,” Montgomery said. “[The Braves] had to earn everything they got.”

By contrast, St. John Bosco (12-15) connected on just two of 11 three-point shots.

“We are a perimeter team,” Coach Brian Breslin of St. John Bosco said. “We missed a ton of shots we usually make.”

With the scored tied, 5-5, Owens and Stotts hit consecutive three-point shots, igniting an 8-0 run. The Indians used another 8-0 run midway through the third quarter to build a 40-27 lead.

The Braves closed to within 53-44 with 4:57 left, but David Neill’s three-point basket gave the Indians their biggest lead, 58-44, with under three minutes left.

“I told our guys the first round is the toughest,” Montgomery said. “We haven’t played in over a week, but this might be the most balanced scoring game we’ve played all year.”

The Indians contained senior guard Justin Trott, who came into the game averaging 20 points.

Trott was whistled for his fifth personal foul after hand-checking Stotts with 1:51 remaining in the game.

Trott finished with 12 points.

Hart will play at Foothill League rival Canyon, which it has beaten twice, Tuesday night in the second round.