Saugus’ Best Shot Floors Royal in Hart Semifinals

Tim Tampus scored 25 points to help Saugus High beat Royal, 62-51, on Wednesday night in a semifinal game of the Hart tournament.

The Centurions (9-5) won their fifth consecutive game. Saugus plays Los Angeles CES, a 79-62 double-overtime winner over Beverly Hills in the other semifinal, in the championship game tonight at 8.

Tampus, a 5-8 senior guard, has 80 points and 19 steals in three tournament games, sinking 12 three-point baskets.

“We’ve been playing with a lot more confidence this week,” Tampus said. “Our goal is to play hard all game and have every player step up when he needs to.”

David Simonton kept the Highlanders (5-6) in the game with 23 points, including a jumper from the corner to start the fourth quarter and pull Royal to within 48-43.

Guard Christian Ronquillo of Royal hit back to back three-pointers to cut Saugus’ lead to 54-51 with three minutes to play but Tampus hit a three-pointer and Justin Muszalski made two jumpers that closed out the scoring.

“They were focusing on Tim a lot at the end of the game because he’s been scoring,” said Muszalski, who had nine points and seven rebounds. “That left me wide open and I was able to hit some shots.”

Senior center Mike Grisanti, a 6-7 senior center, had 12 rebounds, eight blocked shots.

In other Hart tournament games:

L.A. Marshall 51, Hart 38--Liam Waters had 22 points, seven rebounds and four steals but the Indians (5-9) lost in a consolation game.

San Fernando 66, Palmdale 64--Maike Hernandez scored 26 points, including six three-point baskets, and Arthur Gallegos added 15 points for the Tigers (6-6) in a consolation victory.

Eric Brown scored 31 points for Palmdale (4-9) but missed a three-point shot at the buzzer. Jerrick Holmes added 17 points and nine rebounds for Palmdale.

Camarillo 54, Murphy 53--Ryan Miyamoto hit a driving layup with nine seconds left to lift the Scorpions over Murphy in a consolation game.

at the Hart tournament.

Travis Singletary of Murphy (6-8) missed a shot at the buzzer.

Sylmar 78, Alemany 74--Earnest Williams scored 22 points for the Spartans (4-8) in a consolation victory. Byron Joseph had 18 points, 10 rebounds and six steals for the Indians (4-8).