It’s Too Late for Agoura as Lancers Strike Early

So much for the theory that the Thousand Oaks High offense has to run through Kyle Kegley to be successful.

The Lancers laid that notion to rest in the first 10 minutes of their Marmonte League showdown against Agoura on Wednesday night by taking a 17-point lead on their way to an 80-47 victory that gave them sole possession of first place in the standings.

Kegley, an All-Ventura County selection as a junior, had 18 points, four assists and four steals to help Thousand Oaks avenge a 60-55 loss to Agoura in a league opener on Jan. 3.

But the 6-foot-4 forward had only four points as the Lancers (16-4, 6-1 in league play) raced to a 30-13 lead.

“Everyone on this team can score,” said Ben Olson, Thousand Oaks’ 6-5, 215-pound forward-center. “We were a very balanced team [Wednesday night]. Everyone got it done.”

No one more than Olson, a left-handed junior who had 22 points, five rebounds and four blocked shots.

Olson, who made nine of 11 shots including two of three from three-point range, scored 19 points in the first half when Thousand Oaks surged to a 48-22 advantage.

The Lancers, the No. 2-ranked team in the region by The Times, hit their first six shots and seven of 10 to take a 20-8 lead with 3:01 left in the first quarter.

The good news--if there was any--for No. 4-ranked Agoura at that point was that Kegley had yet to take a shot.

But that was also the bad news as he scored two quick baskets to give Thousand Oaks a 24-12 lead with 1:30 left in the quarter.

Agoura (17-4, 6-2) cut its deficit to 24-13 at the end of the first quarter, but the Lancers started the second quarter with a 10-0 run to blow the game open.

Kevin Cornwell, scored 18 points for Agoura, converted a three-point play with 4:12 left in the quarter to cut the Chargers’ deficit to 34-16.

But Thousand Oaks reeled off a 7-0 run to take a 41-16 advantage with 2:50 remaining.

“Thousand Oaks played a great game,” said Joe Riccio, Agoura’s first-year coach. “You can’t take that away from them. They made very few mistakes.”

Especially in the first half when the Lancers made 17 of 28 shots, including four of eight from three-point range, and 10 of 11 free throws while committing only six turnovers.

“This was one of our better games,” Coach Rich Endres of Thousand Oaks said. “This team seems to be headed in an upward trend and that’s what you like to see at this stage of the season.”

Agoura made only 19 of 53 shots and Adam Allegro was held to 12 points after missing most of the second quarter with three fouls.