Eagles erase bad memory

Bryce Alderton

Whether they wanted to remember it or not, Estancia High boys

basketball players couldn’t really escape the memory of last year’s

36-point defeat to Newport-Mesa Unified School District rival Corona

del Mar.

Eagles’ Coach Jason Simco this week wrote last year’s result

across a chalkboard in the team’s locker room for all his players to

see.

The motivational tool proved beneficial this time around as the

visiting Eagles jumped to a sizable early lead, endured a three-point

third quarter and put on a clinic at the free-throw line to earn a

53-42 nonleague victory over CdM on the same floor where they were

humbled a little more than a year ago.

“We wanted to get back at [the Sea Kings] for what they did to us

last year [a 78-42 CdM victory],” said Estancia junior Mike

McDaniels, who likened the matchup to when the Eagles face crosstown

rival Costa Mesa. “It’s for bragging rights.”

The Eagles (11-4) took a 7-0 lead and never trailed in a game that

featured 54 combined free-throw attempts.

Estancia can boast about its foul shooting after hitting 25 of 35

attempts (71.4%) at the free-throw line compared to the Sea Kings’

12-for-19 clip (63.1%).

Senior Carlos Pinto, who played the final 6 minutes, 32 seconds of

the fourth quarter with four fouls, sank 9 of 10 free throws for all

of his nine points in the period en route to game-highs in points

(19) and rebounds (11).

The Eagles converted 15 of 21 free throws in the final quarter as

both teams reached the double bonus with 3 minutes, 28 seconds left.

The Sea Kings, who trailed by as many as 15 points with two

minutes left in the first half, used a pressure defense to force

several Eagle turnovers in the third quarter and clawed their way

back into the contest in the fourth period.

Junior guard Ryan Lance scored four quick points to begin the

quarter and a Tyler Lance free throw helped the Sea Kings get within

34-32 with 6:32 left.

But CdM missed its next five shots and the Eagles took a 38-32

lead on three Danny Argumedo free throws, part of his 11-point outing

off the bench.

The Sea Kings clawed their way back to within two points twice

more, but Argumedo’s putback following a missed three-pointer gave

the Eagles a 42-38 lead with 1:56 remaining and the closest CdM got

was three points the rest of the way.

“It was like a football game out there,” said a relieved Simco,

who let out a sigh. “This year’s [Estancia] team is more experienced

than last year’s [squad]. The guards are composed and the big guys

are tough. We were undersized in the post, but the guys played hard.”

Freshman Stefan Kaluz, who stands 6-foot-7, had his way in the

post, scoring a career-high 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting while

grabbing five rebounds and tallying one block for the Sea Kings

(6-10).

But Kaluz was the only Sea King getting consistently good looks at

the basket.

CdM, which came off a thrilling 54-53 Pacific Coast League opening

victory over Tesoro Friday night, finished 13 of 50 from the field

(26%) against the Eagles.

Nonleague

Estancia 53, Corona del Mar 42

Score by Quarters

Estancia 11 17 3 22 -- 53 CdM 4 13 10 15 -- 42

Estancia -- C. Pinto 19, McDaniels 6, Montillo 10, Kopp 2, Sh.

Markley 0, Argumedo 11, B. Pinto 2, Escobedo 3, Hart 0, Verrette 0.

3-pt. goals - Pinto 3, Escobedo 1.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

CdM -- T. Lance 1, Kaluz 15, T. Slaughter 5, R. Lance 12, Hirata

3, S. Slaughter 2, Smith 4, Hinton 0, Loyd 0.

3-pt. goals -- Hirata 1.

Fouled out -- T. Lance.

Technicals -- None.