Santa Barbara High boys basketball pulled away in the second half to take down Rio Mesa by a score of 77-49 on Wednesday.
With the win, the Dons remained atop the Channel League standings with an undefeated record of 7-0.
The first quarter was a seesaw battle, with the two teams heading into the second tied at 21-21. After the Spartans scored the first four points of the second, the Dons outscored them 18-5 for the rest of the quarter to take a 39-30 lead by halftime.
Santa Barbara High’s defense dominated the second half, holding Rio Mesa to just 19 points to pull away for the 28-point win.
“Rio Mesa came out with a ton of energy and pushed us early,” Santa Barbara High head coach Greg Zuffelato said. “I was proud of how we adjusted and stopped their penetration that hurt us in the 1st quarter. After a tough start defensively, we held them to 24 points in the last 22 minutes of the game.”
Cayleb Miller led the charge for the Dons with a career-high 16 points, while Owen Horn and Brent Sharpton closely followed with 15 points apiece.
Santa Barbara High will head across town to clash with rival San Marcos on Friday at 7 p.m. inside the Thunderhut.
San Marcos 59, Pacifica 54
The Royals pulled out a tight league win over the Tritons on Wednesday night in Oxnard.
“I’m really proud of the way we dug in late in that game,” San Marcos head coach Matt Jordan said. “It’s not a secret that we’re not playing our best basketball right now and have hit a bit of a midseason slump, but I can’t tell you how proud I am of this group for pulling that game out.”
Brody Green poured in a team-high 23 points for the Royals and was followed in double figures by Koji Hefner and Aidan Conlan with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
“We do not win that game without Brody Green,” Jordan said. “Just an insanely resilient response from him after some adversity. He’s one of the toughest kids I’ve ever been around and he willed us to victory in that game. Could not be prouder of the way he fought and led us down the stretch.
“A special shoutout to Logan Patterson for his toughness and leadership in that game. He’s been awesome stepping in for some of our injuries and has great instincts and energy off our bench.”
San Marcos will look to keep it rolling against the Dons on Friday.
“I’m excited to see what we can do versus a really good and well-coached Santa Barbara team,” Jordan said.
Dos Pueblos 76, Buena 37
The Chargers dominated on both ends of the court en route to the win over the Bulldogs on Wednesday in Ventura.
Dos Pueblos held Buena to 11 or fewer points in each of the game’s four quarters, while the Charger offense scored at least 20 points in each of the three quarters to run away with the win.
“I was really proud of the way our guys responded after the last two games that we played,” Dos Pueblos head coach Joe Zamora said. “I felt that we did a good job in transition and that our defense was very effective.”
Evan Pinsker dropped a game-high 28 points for the Chargers, while Caleb Damron scored 13 points and both Iyad Ahmad-Reda and Logan Pearce ended the night with 10 points.
“It was really nice to see the guy stepping up and our role players doing a good job in the absence of so many players,” Zamora said. “We’re looking forward to having a good practice and then hosting Oxnard on Friday night, which is always a very tough opponent.”
Laguna Blanca 72, Midland 24
The Owls’ offense erupted for a lopsided victory over Midland on Wednesday.
“It was a phenomenal performance from our team tonight, and we are incredibly proud of their effort,” Laguna Blanca head coach Darnell Campbell said. “The preparation and focus leading into the matchup against Midland truly paid off.”
Holden Pak got the job done on both ends of the floor, leading the team with 30 points and nine steals, to go along with six assists.
Laguna Blanca’s Luke Popovich came up just short of a quadruple-double, tallying eight points, nine assists, nine rebounds and eight steals in the win.
“Luke’s all-around effort was outstanding; his near quadruple-double performance showcased remarkable versatility and impact across all facets of the game,” Campbell said. “Holden’s offensive prowess was undeniable, as he led all scorers with an impressive 30 points, complemented by his significant contributions in assists and steals.
“Beyond individual achievements, I was particularly pleased with the team’s commitment to unselfish play and collective effort. Our dedication in practice is clearly translating onto the court, fostering resilience and growth within our ‘Level Up Mindset’ framework.”
Dunn 60, Villanova Prep 54
The Earwigs pulled out a league victory over Villanova Prep on Wednesday.
Dunn got out to a great start, taking a 20-10 lead after the first quarter. From there, it kept Villanova Prep at a distance en route to the win.
“League wins are tough to come by and our group stayed together and persevered,” Dunn head coach Ray Vazquez said.
Tucker McMorrow dominated in the paint with 17 points and 16 rebounds, while Jayden Alabi also tallied a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Dylan Shomes chipped in 14 points, and Walker Vazquez collected eight points, 12 assists and four steals.
Dunn will take on Thacher and Cate in a doubleheader on Saturday.