Loyola Turns Up Pressure to Earn 73-59 Victory

Full-court pressure and timely free-throw shooting added up to a 73-59 victory for Los Angeles Loyola over Los Alamitos in the second round of the Division I-A boys’ basketball playoffs Tuesday night at Los Alamitos.

The Cubs (24-3) forced 14 turnovers, including six in a pivotal second quarter when they turned a 12-8 deficit into a 29-20 halftime lead.

When the Griffins (17-11) clawed back into the game in the fourth quarter, Loyola responded by converting nine of 10 free throws. During that stretch, Vince Oliver was eight of nine from the line.

Omar Wilkes, scoreless in the first quarter, came back to lead Loyola with 24 points and punctuated the victory with a slam dunk as time ran out. Oliver finished with 13 points and Josh Flynn-Brown had 12.

Senior Mark Lotman scored 11 third-quarter points and finished with a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds for Los Alamitos. Lavelle Jones came off the bench to score 16, including 12 in the final quarter.

Loyola moves on to play Cajon, which defeated Riverside J.W. North, 70-53, in Friday’s quarterfinal at a site to be determined.

Los Alamitos trailed, 48-38, at the end of the third quarter, but despite Rochand Scoby’s three-point play and Jones’ three baskets and two free throws could get no closer than seven points.

Tim Dermody

*

Pasadena Muir 76, Pomona Ganesha 54--The Mustangs got 51 points from their frontcourt to outdistance Ganesha in a Division III-A quarterfinal at Muir.

Center Ryan Hollins scored 28 points, including 10 in the second quarter, to help the Mustangs (23-5) open a 35-28 halftime lead. Forward Owen Duckworth scored 13 and forward Seth Davis added 10 for Muir, which outscored Ganesha, 22-11, in the third quarter.

Michael Efevberha scored 33 for Ganesha (24-5) .

John Klima

*

Mission Viejo 59, Santa Ana Valley 46--Travis Niesen had 15 points, Jed Collins had 14 and Jake Collins 13 for top-seeded Mission Viejo (26-2) in a Division I-A second-round game.

Redondo Union 66, La Habra 37--Wendell White had 28 points and 10 rebounds for third-seeded and host Redondo Union (21-6) in a Division II-A quarterfinal game. Keith Ellison contributed 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in the victory.

Santa Margarita 68, Victor Valley 51--Brandon Rohe scored 22 points and teammate Lenny Collins added 18 to lead visiting Santa Margarita (23-4) in a Division II-A quarterfinal game.

Corona Centennial 78, Cathedral City 53--J.R. Reese scored 23 points and Kevin Rogers had 19 for host Corona Centennial (24-3), which held a 44-23 lead at halftime in a Division II-AA second-round game.

Villa Park 54, Newport Harbor 41--Corey Miller scored 10 points and Sean Phaler had nine to lead visiting Villa Park in a Division II-AA second-round game.

Nedim Pajevic had 14 points, 14 rebounds and three steals to lead Newport Harbor (19-7).

Compton Centennial 48, Pomona 46--The host Apaches took several double-digit leads in the first half, then held on against Pomona (23-6) in a Division III-A quarterfinal game.

Gabriel Pruitt scored 18 to lead Compton Centennial (27-0).

L.A. Verbum Dei 66, L.A. Yeshiva 43--Utah-bound senior Richard Chaney had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead host Verbum Dei (24-3) in a Division IV-A quarterfinal game. Adi Isaacs and Isaac Gabbi scored 13 each for Yeshiva.

North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake 66, Riverside Notre Dame 56--Bryce Taylor had 37 points and 11 rebounds to lead host Harvard-Westlake (23-5) in a Division IV-AA second-round game. Talani Calhoun had 25 points for Notre Dame (15-11).