Long Night for Chaminade Despite Scoreboard Picture

On a night its star player was out of sync, the Chaminade High boys’ basketball team proved it thrives on its depth, rolling over host Loyola, 56-37, Thursday night to claim sole possession of first place in the Mission League.

Still, it wasn’t as dominating a win for Chaminade (16-1, 5-0 in league), the top-ranked team in the region by The Times, as the score indicates. Coach Jeff Young was still grimacing and shaking his head in disappointment late in the fourth quarter.

Sixteen turnovers, 13 of 24 free-throw shooting, and fewer offensive rebounds than your opponent will certainly do that to a coach, no matter how big the victory.

“At the end of the game, I think our guys look up at the scoreboard too much,” Young said.

Star forward Scott Long, who fouled out in the fourth quarter, was looking at the scoreboard from the bench more often than from the floor. He scored five of Chaminade’s first 13 points, then all but disappeared, a victim of foul trouble.

Claiming the spotlight was the team’s other Scott, 6-foot-7 freshman center Scott Borchart, who played consistently and finished with a game-high 17 points and nine rebounds.

Guard Justin Beach scored 12 points and point guard Cayce Cook had nine points, six assists and five steals.

“We have so many good players, it doesn’t matter [if I’m not on]. We have 16 players who can play this game,” said Long, who finished with seven points--12 below his league average.

Long, a 6-5 senior, was whistled for his second foul late in the first period and played sparingly the rest of the first half.

“I thought I was playing good in the beginning. The calls just didn’t go my way, I guess. It happens,” he said. “I can’t do anything if I’m on the bench in foul trouble.”

Fortunately for the Eagles, Long wasn’t really needed. Chaminade led throughout in a game that was never tied. Loyola (13-6, 4-1) came within a point once, 18-17, on a 10-foot jumper in the key by Gordon Wing with 3:30 left in the second period.

But Chaminade, ranked No. 13 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports, closed out the period with a 9-2 run and was never threatened again.

Loyola, which made 13 of 49 shots, made only one field goal in the third period and Chaminade went ahead, 41-24.

Chaminade played a quick-shifting zone defense, forcing 17 turnovers.

“I think it’s tough to shoot over 6-5 guys from the perimeter, but I think they are a better offensive team than that,” Young said.