Eastside High of Lancaster dominated the middle two quarters on Wednesday night to hand Cate School a 66-53 boys basketball loss in a first-round CIF Div. 4A playoff game in Carpinteria.
Senior Ethan Ng scored 16 of his 20 points in the first quarter as the Rams (15-5) took a 22-17 lead. Eastside won the second quarter, 16-10, to lead 33-32 at the half, then got hot and took the third quarter 13-3 to go up by 11 (46-35).
“The gym was rocking and the first half was by far the most exciting and well-played basketball half of the season for the Rams,” said coach Andy Gil. “We executed our game plan perfectly. We knew Eastside had tremendous athletes, which were on full display tonight.
“In the second half, we came out flat. We allowed Eastside to catch in rhythm and didn’t contest as well as we did in the first half.”
Khadim Pouye finished added 12 points for the Rams and Nkemka Chukwumerije finished with seven.
“I am tremendously proud of our guys,” said Gil. “Having moved up divisions in the playoffs and competing with a very good team, we can carry our heads high. We lose seniors Scott Holmes, Khadim Pouye, John Shelburne, Thomas Nettesheim, Parker May, and Ethan Ng, who I will miss tremendously.”