Ocean View Overcomes Doldrums

It has been a dream season for Ocean View Coach Jim Harris, but Tuesday in the first round of the Southern Regional, he had to wake his team from a first-half slumber.

Harris’ halftime pep talk helped Ocean View turn up the intensity and open a 10-point lead before it made six of eight free throws in the final 1 1/2 minutes to hold off visiting Torrance Bishop Montgomery, 54-48, in a Division III first-round game.

Ocean View, which won the section Division III-AA championship last weekend, appeared sluggish at times but got a big fourth quarter from Tony Dow, who scored seven of his 11 points in the quarter, and reserve Garid Beeler.

Beeler scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half, including eight in a 1-minute 11-second span to increase Ocean View’s lead to 42-32 with 7:29 left to play.

“Garid wasn’t looking for it in the first half,” Harris said. “I had to yell at him to look to score, then he goes on that tear.

“The whole team was in a funk, a daze, in the first half. That was the first time all season I’ve had to yell at them at halftime. I’m happy we advanced, but we better get it together or we’ll be in trouble in the next round.”

That’s because Ocean View plays top-seeded Fresno Washington Union.

Ocean View (26-4) looked as if it might not advance past Bishop Montgomery (21-8), which used its quickness to go on a 12-4 run to pull within 46-44 on a three-point basket by Sigmond Singleton (12 points) with 3:31 remaining.

After Ocean View’s Jason Martini (10 points) missed a three-pointer, Bishop Montgomery had a chance to tie the score. But Lamar Lawrance made only one of two free throws to make it 46-45 with 2:21 remaining.

Ocean View answered when Bishop Montgomery collapsed on the Seahawks’ 6-foot-10 center Kevin Hanson (eight points, 15 rebounds), but Hanson kicked the ball out to David Hatch, who buried a jumper from the free-throw line to make it 48-45 with 1:47 remaining.

Then the Seahawks iced it with their free throws.