Sean Park did his athletic best to keep Dos Pueblos on top, slashing to the hole repeatedly for 17 first-half points in the opening game of the Santa Barbara Holiday Classic boys’ basketball tournament.

But Santa Monica did what winning teams often do, nailed free throws down the stretch to seal the narrow, 53-48 win. The visiting Vikings were 14 for 14 from the line in the second half.

In the final seconds of the first quarter, Park took a perfect full-court airborne pass, fought for control and then banked it in before returning to earth, to give the Chargers a boost,. But in the second period they could never quite open up and hold a lead.

After a 27-27 halftime score, Ryan Beall (12 points) pitched in to extend a four-point lead in the fourth period, but the Chargers? long-distance shooting was no match for Samohi?s scoring underneath and deadly free throws.

DP?s Devon Davison nailed a three-pointer to eat up most of a four-point Santa Monica lead with 20 seconds left in the game, but the Chargers then fouled the wrong man. Justin Maxwell casually stepped up to the stripe and drilled his fifth- and sixth-straight for a 51-48 advantage that ultimately held up.

Santa Monica coach James Hecht admitted that, ?They (DP) controlled the tempo of the game, but we made the big plays at the end. If you go 14 for 14 from the line to finish, you win a lot of games.?

Dos Pueblos was only eight for 17 on free throws, and some of those misses were the front ends of one-and-ones that came up dry when things were tight. DP is 7-6 on the season and will play Santa Barbara in Round Two at 11:30 a.m. at Santa Barbara High.

Santa Monica, powered by the 16-point performances of both Jamen Fearon and Edward Willis, will move on to play Venice, which dusted the Dons, 75-59, on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, San Marcos dominated Costa Mesa, 75-29, to become the Holiday Classic’s only local winner in the first round. Balanced scoring and 18 first-half points from Nick Marquez put the Royals in charge early and kept them there.

San Marcos takes on Oxnard at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Santa Barbara High. Oxnard beat Agoura, 62-47, in Round One of Green Division play.

Bishop Diego fell hard to West Torrance, 72-37, in first-round action in the Gold Division. Bishop faces St. Margaret?s at 3 p.m. Thursday at San Marcos High.

Round One Results
Gold Division
West Torrance 72, Bishop Diego 37
Oak Park 65, Santa Barbara JV 17
South Pasadena 62, St. Margaret?s 47
East Bakersfield 48, Northwood 41

Green Division
Santa Monica 53, Dos Pueblos 48
Venice 75, Santa Barbara 57
San Marcos 75, Costa Mesa 29
Oxnard 62, Agoura 47
Pacific Palisades 69, Burroughs 41
Corona del Mar 65, Saugus 42
Upland 72, Curtis 42
Clovis West 68, Mira Costa 63