Youth Scene: NJB Breakers play tough in loss

Following a big win the previous week over Kentucky, the Laguna Beach Breakers fell apart against Tennessee Saturday in a National Junior Basketball boys’ Division 1 game at the Laguna Hills Community Center.

Tennessee bolted to a 20-0 lead and rode its hot start to a 44-26 victory and a third win this season over the Breakers.

Laguna (2-6) was stymied by Tennessee’s full-court pressure defense and an effective zone defense in the second half. The Breakers were led by Jack Pigott who had 12 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and one assist. Kaden Herr contributed three points, nine rebounds and two steals, Chase Hall had seven rebounds and one assist, Evan Henry two points and two rebounds, Miles Riehle two points, four rebounds and one steal, Timmy Crawford four points, one rebound and a steal, and Taro Sakai three points, three rebounds and a steal.

In a previous game Feb. 6, the Breakers turned in their best performance to date and used a balanced attack to top Kentucky, 39-33. The Breakers played tenacious team defense which led to multiple steals, especially in the second half. They also hit the boards aggressively and out-rebounded an opponent for the first time this season.

Breakers Coach Dennis Sakai attributed the victory to his team’s defense, improved spacing on the court, and its passing game both out on the perimeter and on cuts to the basket.

The Breakers were in scoring by Hall with 13 points. Charlie Pillsbury had nine points, Sakai seven points, Herr four points, and Pigott, Henry and Crawford each scored two points.

The Breakers will play their final game of the season Saturday against Florida.

— Reader submission

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Boys’ Fifth-Grade All-Net Division

Laguna Beach 36, San Gabriel Valley 22: The Breakers put their six-game winning streak to the test Feb. 6 and responded with a big defensive performance to extend their streak.

The Breakers lost two key players (Griffin Naess, Boden Gillette) to injury, but Ben Neufeld (12 points), Oliver Rounaghi (12 points) and Taylor Towe (eight points) dominated on offense and secured the win. Noah Liao and Luke Meisberger (two points each) were solid in filling in for Naess and Gillette and pulled down several rebounds.

Mason Herr, Devon Connelly and Ben Reimers were excellent defensively in limiting San Gabriel Valley to only 22 points.

The Breakers, second-place in their division, and their seven-game winning streak go up against first-place Ladera Ranch Gray Saturday in a key division battle.

— Reader submission