Hillcrest Christian Diagrams the End of Buckley, 66-64

Granada Hills Hillcrest Christian ran an inbounds play to perfection with 13 seconds to play as Amrit Nat converted a layup for a 66-64 victory over Buckley in a Division V-AA boys’ basketball quarterfinal game Friday night at Buckley.

The Griffins scored six consecutive points, four by Royal Weaver, to tie the score at 64 with 1:51 to play. After Buckley missed an opportunity to tie it, Hillcrest Christian called a timeout and diagramed the full-court inbounds play.

Nat, who had 17 points and seven rebounds, set a screen and then released down the middle of the floor. He was wide open when he hauled in the pass from Eric Hodgkins, took one dribble and made the uncontested layup.

“That’s just the way we drew it up,” said Coach Joshua Kendrick of Hillcrest Christian (20-3), which won the Westside League.

Weaver, who had 11 points, broke the press on the ensuing inbounds and was fouled attempting a pull-up jumper, but he missed the first free throw and purposely missed the second. The Griffins couldn’t control the rebound and knocked it out of bounds.

Hodgkins led the Eagles with 25 points and nine rebounds. He scored 15 in the second quarter when he made a three-point shot and twice converted three-point plays on inside shots. Alex Martino finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Eagles.

Colin Ward-Henninger led Buckley with 19 points and Steve Brookhim had 18.