Breakers earn wins at Orange County North/South Challenge

The annual Orange County North/South Challenge took place earlier this week and both the Laguna Beach High boys’ and girls’ basketball teams again were a part of the two-day extravaganza, and both picked up big victories.

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Boys’ Basketball

Taking on Huntington Beach Monday at El Toro High, the Breakers rallied back from double-digit deficits in both halves and pulled out a 77-72 victory to register their second win over the Oilers in six days.

Laguna trailed at the half (45-31) and through three quarters (59-47) but outscored the Oilers (6-6), 30-13, in the fourth quarter. Sophomore forward Blake Burzell had a hot hand in the final eight minutes, scoring 14 of his game-high 25 points. He was named Game MVP.

Senior guard Darin Richardson hit four three-point shots and had 20 points, senior guard Isaac Wulff was right behind with 19 points, and both also were outstanding in the victory.

In a Dec. 16 game at the Charlie Wilkins Tournament at Westminster High, Laguna led from early-second quarter onward in defeating Huntington, 58-48.

“I thought we came out against a team that we just beat last week and thought, ‘yeah, we’ve got this,’” Laguna Coach Bret Fleming said. “Huntington had a different attitude and came out and took it to us. They were getting every offensive rebound and hitting their shots and had a big lead.

“I thought we came back nicely in the fourth quarter. Blake [Burzell] had a big quarter and Darin [Richardson] and [sophomore guard] Charlie [Rounaghi, seven points] hit some big threes during our comeback. Isaac [Wulff] also had a really good game.”

Laguna (9-3) closed out the Charlie Wilkins Tournament with a Dec. 17 game against La Palma Kennedy and Saturday against Corona del Mar. The Breakers rallied from a three-point halftime deficit to defeat the Fighting Irish, 58-54, getting 21 points from Burzell (three three-pointers), 11 each from Richardson and Wulff, and 10 from senior center Nick Rahder.

The Breakers faced Corona del Mar in the tournament’s title game. They led 15-7 after one quarter but ended up falling to the Sea Kings who broke away in the fourth quarter to take a 57-44 win. Burzell and Wulff each scored 15 points.

The Breakers were down only five, 42-37, after three quarters.

“[Corona del Mar] turned the tables on us, and we ran out of gas in the fourth quarter,” Fleming said.

Laguna travels this weekend to San Diego County to compete in the 26th annual Torrey Pines Under Armour Holiday Classic. The Breakers open against Brentwood at 2:45 p.m. Saturday at Santa Fe Christian High. The tournament continues Monday and runs through Wednesday.

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Girls’ Basketball

Playing what Coach Mark Lewis said was one of his team’s “better games of the season,” the Breakers scored a 52-40 victory Monday over Fullerton Sunny Hills at the North/South Challenge at Mission Viejo High.

The Breakers hit some key shots and made key defensive stops down the stretch to earn their sixth win of the season.

Laguna received 20 points and her first three-point shot of the season from junior guard Jackie Cenan, 13 points each from senior guard Amy Nygaard and senior forward Alexandra Lewis who both hit three three-point shots, five points from sophomore guard Jasmine Banks, and two points each from junior guards Nicole Davidson and Rachel Kenney.

Lewis also had 14 rebounds and six blocks.

“Our rotation was limited to just seven players for this game, but all had key contributions,” Mark Lewis said. “Amy’s key shooting, Nicole Davidson did well sharing the ball handling duties with Jackie [Cenan] and with a couple of key steals and basket, Rachel Kenney provided solid defensive support in the second half and also hit a key shot to make the Sunny Hills defense honest.

“Jasmine Banks started strong with a couple of key baskets and steals helping to set a tone. [Junior forward] Marissa Lee was solid defensively and contributed on the boards. Alexandra Lewis played an overall good game and was the quarterback, as she is so often, on the court for us defensively. She is such a smart player with a good basketball IQ. Down the stretch, Jackie’s ability to split double teams and get to the rim, combined with timely threes from Nygaard and Lewis, helped put the game on ice.”

The win put Laguna, which has won three straight and four of its last five games, at 6-5 overall.

“We took care of the ball very well, probably our best protection of the ball all year,” Lewis said of his team, which turned the ball over only 12 times. “Overall, we were pretty sound defensively. Offensively, we were strategic when we needed to be and shared the ball well to get the open shot. Amy Nygaard had her best game as a Breaker connecting on three three-pointers, all at key junctures of the game. With so much of Sunny Hills’ defensive emphasis on Alex [Lewis] and Jackie [Cenan], it was critical to have some additional scoring outlets.”

Monday’s win came one day after the Breakers returned home from Catalina. They went to the island to take on Avalon Saturday in a nonleague game, and returned home with a 54-34 victory. Alexandra Lewis hit four three-pointers and she and Cenan both scored 20 points. Davidson added eight points.

The Breakers bolted to an 18-2 lead and never looked back. They held a 52-18 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

“We came out with good energy on both ends and were efficient offensively,” Mark Lewis said. “Coming off a bounce back win (48-33, Dec. 16) against Laguna Hills, the Avalon victory showed some sustained momentum which would be key heading into the North/South Challenge game against Sunny Hills.

“I would say that the trip to Catalina was an overall success both on and off the court. Fun stuff.”

Laguna again heads overseas this weekend, this time, traveling to the Big Island of Hawaii to compete in the WYBT Tournament in Kailua-Kona. The Breakers open tourney play Monday against San Diego Canyon Crest. The tournament runs through Jan. 1.