Late Three-Pointer Stops Moorpark in Semifinals

Moorpark High’s run through the Chaminade tournament ended abruptly Wednesday when Orlando Hodges sank a three-pointer at the buzzer to give San Francisco Riordan a 55-53 semifinal victory at Chaminade.

The Crusaders face Chaminade today at 7 p.m. in the championship game as they try to avenge a 50-36 loss to the Eagles in last year’s final.

Moorpark (10-2) took a 53-52 lead with 19 seconds left on a layup by Jeff Illions.

Todd Tomlinson of Moorpark, who averaged 40 points in the first two tournament games, was limited to 12 points on four-of-11 shooting.

“I think he was trying too hard to take too much control,” Coach Tim Dednar of Moorpark said.

Tomlinson committed nine of Moorpark’s 21 turnovers and sat on the bench for nearly half of the second half as the Musketeers saw their 47-39 fourth-quarter lead erased. Riordan took its first lead at 48-47 with 2:20 remaining on a three-pointer by Hodges.

The Musketeers managed only one basket during the first 5:30 of the final quarter.

“Maybe I was forcing it at times, but tonight I was just off,” Tomlinson said.

The rest of the Musketeers seemed disoriented without Tomlinson. But Illions kept Moorpark in the game with nine points in the third quarter.

Illions and teammate Lion Moser each finished with 15 points.

“My teammates did a good job of picking up the slack,” said Tomlinson.

Moorpark took its biggest lead at 29-19 late in the first quarter on the strength of a 13-5 run.

Monroe 68, Brentwood 63 --Alfredo Cuevas hit a three-pointer at the end of regulation to force overtime and the Vikings prevailed in double overtime of a consolation game.

Robert Palafox led the Vikings (8-5) with 26 points, including seven in overtime. Cuevas had 13 points and six rebounds.