Kegley’s Quarter Saves Thousand Oaks

The best performance in a quarter in Thousand Oaks High history?

Very likely the one by Kyle Kegley on Friday night.

The Thousand Oaks senior swingman scored 16 points in the fourth quarter--the only points scored by his team in the quarter--and led the Lancers to a 52-50 victory over Cajon in a Southern Section Division I-AA quarterfinal at San Gorgonio High.

Kegley, who drilled four three-pointers in a four-minute span of the quarter, finished with 27 points for No. 4-seeded Thousand Oaks (23-5), which plays No. 1-seeded El Toro in a semifinal Tuesday at Westlake High. El Toro defeated Murietta Valley, 69-57, on Friday.

Kegley was hobbling noticeably in the first quarter because of a tender Achilles tendon and shot poorly in the third quarter, making only one of six shots. But he shook it off and made six of eight shots in the fourth.

“He’s gutsy, isn’t he?” Thousand Oaks Coach Rich Endres said. “The kid’s been clutch. Three years on varsity, he always has been. Kyle stepped up and did it.”

Kegley was almost outdone by Donovan Morris, who scored 20 points, 10 in the fourth quarter, for Cajon (21-7).

The Cowboys took a 48-46 lead on Morris’ lay-in off a rebound with 2:43 left.

But Kegley had the final say, hitting consecutive three-pointers with 2:25 and 1:40 left to give Thousand Oaks a 52-48 edge.

Kegley, who scored only two points in the first and third quarters, fought a diamond-and-one defense throughout the night.

“I’ve seen it all. . . . triangle-and-twos, box-and-ones, but I’m ready for it,” Kegley said. “It’s mentally and physically challenging.”

The 110-mile drive to the game could have driven the Lancers into submission.

They also were hurt when starting guard Dave Anderson picked up his fourth foul 33 seconds into the third quarter.

Anderson sat out most of the quarter and did not score again, finishing with seven points.

But the Lancers persisted, continuing their historic run through the playoffs matched only by the 1991 team, which advanced to the semifinals.

“That’s only the second time in school history we’ve been to the semifinals,” Endres said.

The only loss the Lancers have suffered in the playoffs was a coin flip to determine the host team for Friday’s game. The long drive had Endres worried before the game. But it could have been worse.

The game was played at San Gorgonio because Cajon Coach Jerry Tivey mistakenly thought quarterfinal games had to be played at neutral sites.

Only semifinal and championship games are played at neutral sites.

“It was a stupid move by me,” Tivey said before the game. “I thought we had to play at a different site, so we chose the closest one.”

Thousand Oaks and Kegley were willing to capitalize.