Young Nelson Takes Control for Santa Barbara

Not many freshmen would be brave enough to take control of a playoff game late in the second half. Even fewer coaches would be so bold to give control of a game to a freshman.

But Santa Barbara put a Southern Section Division II-AA first-round playoff game in the hands of freshman Roberto Nelson on Friday night and he responded with confidence against 15th-seeded Anaheim Loara, scoring 17 of his game-high 21 points in the second half and grabbing a season-high 13 rebounds in the 63-54 road victory.

“He’s played a lot of basketball games,” Santa Barbara Coach Jeff Lavender said. “His basketball IQ is incredible for a 14-year-old.”

Nelson, a 6-foot-3 guard who will turn 15 on March 6, started Santa Barbara’s comeback from a six-point deficit by making a deep three-point basket at the end of the third quarter. He then scored two of the first three baskets of the fourth quarter to give the Dons a 49-46 lead.

His presence was especially felt during a game-clinching three-possession sequence in the closing minutes.

After Loara (18-9) had moved ahead by a point with 4:25 remaining, Nelson scored off an offensive rebound, then was fouled while grabbing a defensive rebound on the other end. With the Dons in the bonus, he made both free throws, then secured another defensive rebound and immediately threw an outlet the length of the floor to Tyler Williams, who scored on a layup to give Santa Barbara a 56-51 lead with 3:15 left.

Williams scored 18 points for the Dons.

-- Dan Arritt

*

Relying on a relentless full-court pressure defense that produced turnover after turnover, visiting Los Angeles King-Drew upset fifth-seeded L.A. Jordan, 69-56, in a City Section Championship Division playoff opener.

Donnell Fleming scored 19 points and Sultan Toles-Bey had 15 points for the Eagles (24-7), who were the first magnet school team in City history to make the Championship Division in basketball playoffs.

King-Drew trailed, 26-15, after the first quarter but went on a 17-2 spurt in the first 5 1/2 minutes of the second quarter, ending with a 40-35 halftime lead on a three-pointer at the buzzer by Aaron Hill.

Jameel Johnson scored 16 points for Jordan (25-2), the Eastern League champion that saw the end of its 14-game winning streak as four players, including two starters, missed the game because of academic ineligibility.

-- Eric Sondheimer