Anaheim Canyon wins title with long-range shooting

Taking to heart the adage, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again,” Anaheim Canyon High kept launching three-point shots at Honda Center on Saturday in the Southern Section 2AA boys’ basketball championship game against Westlake Village Westlake.

The Comanches made only two of 14 three-point shots in the first half, but Coach Nate Harrison didn’t tell his players to stop firing away. They made eight of 13 in the second half and defeated Westlake, 71-54.

Point guard Anthony Ballestero scored 20 points and junior Nick Anderson had 20 points and 16 rebounds. Canyon (28-4) went on an 11-0 run between the third and fourth quarters to wipe out a 45-40 deficit and finished the game on a 13-0 run.

“Those are good shots for us and we’re going to keep taking them,” Harrison said. “Nobody is afraid to take that shot.”

Said Ballestero: “He gives us great confidence to shoot. I’ve had that shooter’s mentality, ‘I miss one, miss two, miss three, the next one is going in.’ ”

Jeremiah Gray and Michael Hayon each scored 15 points for Westlake (25-8).

2A: Austin Smith scored 19 points and had nine rebounds, and Conner Longmire had 17 points to lead Calabasas (27-5) past No. 1-seeded La Habra Sonora, 66-47, in the championship game.

Crucial to the Coyotes’ victory was the play of point guard Jeremy Lieberman, who suffered a severe ankle sprain Tuesday in the semifinals.

“I wasn’t able to walk yesterday morning,” Lieberman said.

But treatment on his ankle and a strong taping enabled him to play and turn in a big performance with six assists. It’s the second section title in three years for Calabasas.

Calabasas went on an 11-0 run in the fourth quarter to break the game open. Larry Bush, who lost in championship games playing for Sherman Oaks Buckley and Westlake Village Westlake the last two seasons, had 12 points for Calabasas.

1AA: Kameron Murrell made 13 of 13 free throws and finished with 19 points, and K.J. Feagin came up with key baskets and had 14 points to help Long Beach Poly win its 20th section championship with a 54-46 victory over Mission Viejo. Chandler Hutchison scored 27 points for Mission Viejo.

For Coach Shelton Diggs, filling in this season for the suspended Sharrief Metoyer, the triumph represented a tribute to the foundation Metoyer has created with the Poly program.

“We’re another team in the history book,” he said.

1A: Maurice Jones scored 17 points and Chris Lott had 15 points to lift Riverside King (24-8) past Villa Park, 61-46, in the championship game. Lamont Tyler had 26 points for Villa Park (21-11).

4A: Bear Henderson scored 17 points, Bryan Alberts 16 and Bennie Boatwright had 16 to help Sun Valley Village Christian defeat Windward, 71-67.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com