Buzzer-beater lifts local boys’ hoops team

Jackson Stillwell hit his shot and the Laguna Beach boys’ Division 2 squad, Team 2, hit its stride Saturday to record one of its best victories of the National Junior Basketball season.

Stillwell connected on a jumper at the buzzer and Laguna pulled out a 31-30 victory over the Laguna Hills “Arizona” team.

Laguna Team 2 used a 1-3-1 zone press in the second half, which keyed the win and evened its record at 4-4.

Laguna Team 2 hosts the Laguna Hills “UC Santa Cruz” team at 1:40 p.m. Saturday at Thurston Middle School in Laguna Beach.

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NJB Girls’ Basketball

Division 1: Jacky Cenan posted 21 points and Laguna Beach used solid team work on both ends of the court to score a 49-21 victory over Laguna Hills. Laguna Beach (8-1) goes to San Juan Capistrano on Saturday to take on second-place Capo Dana in a game that could decide the regular-season champion.

Division 3: Laguna Beach Team 2 played two games within a few hours Saturday but still came away with a pair of victories.

Laguna started the day with a 20-13 win over the Niguel Aliso Wildcats. Point guard Halle Carballo ran the Laguna offense, shooting guard Peri Brennan hit several key outside shots and center Cambria Hall dominated play in the middle.

Laguna returned later in the day to limit Capo Dana to only five points in scoring a 20-5 win, which put the locals at 6-2 with two games remaining in the regular season.

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Water Polo

The Southern Pacific Zone of USA Water Polo released the first water polo rankings of 2012. The zone is made up of water polo clubs from Orange and Riverside counties. The first division rankings are as follows:

14-Under Boys: 1. SoCal (Tustin); 2. United (Los Alamitos); 3. Huntington Beach; 4. Northwood (North Irvine); 5. Orange County Water Polo Club (San Juan Capistrano); 6. Saddleback/El Toro “SET” (Lake Forest); 7. International (Los Alamitos); 8. Laguna Beach; 9. Anteater (South Irvine); 10. Newport Beach.

14U Girls: 1. Laguna Beach; 2. SoCal (Tustin); 3. SET (Lake Forest); 4.United (Los Alamitos); 5. Northwood (North Irvine); 6. Xtreme (Corona); 7. Kahuna. (Central Irvine); 8.Chino Hills Area Water Polo “CHAWP” (Fontana); 9. International (Los Alamitos); 10. Anteater (South Irvine).

12U boys: 1. SoCal (Tustin); 2. United (Los Alamitos); 3. CHAWP (Fontana); 4. Anteater (South Irvine); 5. Northwood (North Irvine); 6. C.D.M. (Corona Del Mar/Newport Beach); 7. Huntington Beach; 8. Capistrano Valley Aquatics Club (San Juan Capistrano); 9. Kahuna (Central Irvine); 10. Orange County Water Polo Club (San Juan Capistrano).

12U Girls: 1. SoCal (Tustin); 2. CHAWP (Fontana); 3. Laguna Beach; 4. Northwood (North Irvine); 5. International (Los Alamitos); 6. United (Los Alamitos); 7. Anteater (South Irvine); 8.Newport Beach; 9. C.D.M. (Corona Del Mar/Newport Beach); 10. Capistrano Valley Aquatics Club (San Juan Capistrano).

10s Division: 1. Kahuna. (Central Irvine); 2. International (Los Alamitos); 3. Northwood (North Irvine); 4. SoCal (Tustin); 5. United (Los Alamitos); 6. Huntington Beach; 7. Laguna Beach; 8. Capistrano Valley Aquatics Club (San Juan Capistrano); 9. Anteater (South Irvine); 10. Orange County Water Polo Club (San Juan Capistrano).