A stellar defensive effort propelled San Marcos boys basketball to a 73-35 victory over Buena on Friday inside the Thunderhut.
“Really good bounce back win after a tough loss at Dos Pueblos,” San Marcos head coach Matt Jordan said. “I thought Benny Huerta gave us excellent minutes as he was everywhere tonight, and Oliver (Werkhoven) getting his first varsity dunk was a special moment that all the guys rallied around.
“Excited to get back in the gym before a tough week against Pacifica and Santa Barbara.”
Koji Hefner’s 16 points led the Royals’ offense while Brody Green and Aidan Conlan each scored 14 points. Sergio Landeros ended the night with nine points.
Dunn 60, Grace 53
The Earwigs came from behind to secure a league victory over Grace on Friday.
Dunn trailed by a score of 22-20 at halftime, but it upped its intensity on defense down the stretch to pull out the 60-53 win.
Jayden Alabi (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Tucker McMorrow (10 points, 10 rebounds) each tallied double-doubles for Dunn, while Walker Vasquez scored nine points, 12 assists and three steals.
The Earwigs (6-2) will host Capistrano Valley on Saturday.
Villanova Prep 52, Laguna Blanca 44
The Owls dropped a league matchup with Villanova Prep on Friday night.
“Well fought game by both teams,” Laguna Blanca head coach Darnell Campbell said. “I’m super proud of the growth our team has shown from the beginning of the season. I believe the sky is the limit for this young team once we are able to put all the pieces together.”
Holden Pak drilled five three-pointers for the Owls en route to a team-high 23 points, while Luke Popovich chipped in eight points of his own.
Pacifica 73, Dos Pueblos 70 (OT)
The Chargers dropped a back-and-forth battle with the Tritons on Friday in Oxnard.
Dos Pueblos struggled out of the gate, allowing 26 points in the opening quarter as Pacifica built up a 26-13 lead.
However, the Chargers battled back for the final three quarters of regulation, chipping away at the lead until the game was tied up when the final buzzer sounded.
The two sides continued to exchange blows in overtime, but the Tritons emerged with the one-possession win.
“I was really proud of Evan Pinsker stepping up and leading us with 21 points. He made great decisions and some really good passes down the stretch to help us crawl back into the game,” Dos Pueblos head coach Joe Zamora said.
“Caleb Damron played extremely well tonight and finished with 20 points. He’s been so active on the glass, and it’s really helping us. Jordan Caratachea helped us with 15, and he was able to get rebounds, make good decisions, and took a charge at a crucial point in the game.”
Girls Basketball
Carpinteria High girls basketball recorded its first league loss with a 71-43 defeat at the hands of Santa Paula on Friday.
Both teams competed at a high level in the opening quarter, with the Warriors getting 10 points from Jamaica Cook to keep the game tied at 18-18 heading into the second.
Santa Paula then found its groove on both ends of the court, pulling away for a 39-25 lead at halftime and never looking back en route to the win.
“Though the score was lopsided, we continued to compete and never gave up,” Carpinteria High head coach Henry Gonzales said. “I was happy with our willingness to compete from the beginning to the end of the game.”
Cook ended the night with 21 points, while Amalia Castaneda contributed 13 points.