1995-96 Basketball: Postseason Meeting is Peevish Parley

Playoff pairings, traditionally an arduous, sometimes day-long exercise punctuated by shouting and finger-pointing participants, centered around the Scripps Ranch boys team, which had forfeited 15 games for using an ineligible player, among several transfers to the relatively new, third-year school.

Wrote Steve Brand of The San Diego Union-Tribune: “Sentiments…ranged from not allowing Scripps to play at all (never a possibility) to making the Falcons play all of their games on the road (being seeded ninth or below).”

Instead, coach John King’s team received a fourth-round seed.  Although King was unhappy with his seed, the Falcons reached the Division II finals, losing to Montgomery but defeating No. 1 El Camino in the semifinals, 64-56.  Scripps’ seeding also hadn’t sat well with Wildcats coach Ray Johnson.

The semifinal loss meant El Camino wouldn’t be considered for a Southern California Regional playoff bid. ”It’s a travesty,”  Johnson said to Steve Brand of The San Diego Union-Tribune.

“We probably would have represented Division two in a regional playoff better (than qualifiers Montgomery or Monte Vista),” said Johnson. “After the season we had (26-4) our players deserve to have that chance.  It just doesn’t seem fair.”

Johnson made no excuses for the surprising loss.  “Once we had to play them, we had to play them, and we didn’t come to play.”

UNIQUE REPEAT

Larry Armbrust, coach of the 26-5 Eastlake girls, champions in Division III, received a Gatorade shower from his team after the 75-47 win over University.

Armbrust and his Chula Vista High teammates participated in a similar moment when principal Joe Rindone and coach Clarence Burton showered, with their clothes on, after a 61-47 Southern Section small schools’ championship against San Bernardino St. Bernardine at Colton High 1954.

PLAYOFFS
Some scores missing.

BOYS

DIVISION I
Mt. Carmel (16-11) 58, @Vista (16-12) 62.
Morse (11-15) 56, @Poway (21-7) 69.
Fallbrook (12-16) 45, @4 Chula Vista (20-7) 40.
Patrick Henry (14-12) 79.@Bonita Vista (17-10) 106,
The Barons, supported by 300 “Bonita Spirit” towels ordered by coach John Santignon for players and “anyone who wanted to come to the  game,” raced to a 31-19, first-quarter lead after forcing six turnovers.
San Dieguito (17-14) 58, @Helix (16-11) 81,
Highlanders sophomore Ron Johnson scored all of his 25 points in the second half.
San Pasqual (14-11), 35, @Grossmont (17-7) 48,

QUARTERFINALS
Bonita Vista (17-11) 78, @3 Rancho Bernardo (18-10) 112.
Sophomore Rei Rivera set a Broncos school record with 42 points.
Vista (16-13) 49, @1 Torrey Pines (27-3) 67.
Helix (17-12) 70, @2 Rancho Buena Vista (22-5) 84.
Fallbrook (12-17) 37, @5 Poway (22-7) 62,

SEMIFINALS
At Mira Mesa High.
Rancho Buena Vista (23-5) 66, Rancho Bernardo (18-11) 56.
Torrey Pines (28-3) 49, Poway (22-8) 42.

CHAMPIONSHIP
At Sports Arena.
Torrey Pines (29-3) 67, Rancho Bernardo (23-6) 27.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND
4 Fremont, (27-4, L.A. City) 49, @Torrey Pines (29-4) 44.

D-II
University City (11-15) 35, @1 El Camino (25-3) 84.
The Wildcats made 10 of their first 11 field-goal attempts.  Conan Moore scored 26 points and Joe Eyres 20.
West Hills (20-6) 57, @Valhalla (22-7) 74.
El Capitan (12-16) 51, @Oceanside (21-7) 86.
Jim Gould led the Pirates with 27 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
Sweetwater (14-13) 63, @4 Scripps Ranch (8-20) 87.
Tavaroa Daniels led the Falcons with 26 points, nine assists, and five steals.
Mount Miguel (9-19) 58, @2 Point Loma (22-2) 91.
Ramona (17-10) 47, @Monte Vista (18-12) 49.
The Monarchs’ 6-foot, 5-inch Will Goodloe scored 18 points and had 18 rebounds.
Serra (9-15) 38, @3 Montgomery (25-2) 54.

QUARTERFINALS
Oceanside (21-8) 53, @Scripps Ranch (9-20) 76.
Valhalla (22-8) 70, @1 El Camino (26-3) 72.
Monte Vista (19-12) 80, @2 Point Loma (22-3) 61.
Grossmont (18-8), 41, @3 Montgomery (26-2) 53.
Trailing, 21-18, at halftime, easing ahead, 31-29, after three quarters, the Aztecs broke it open with a 22-12 final eight minutes.

SEMIFINALS
At Torrey Pines High.
4 Scripps Ranch (10-20) 64, 1 El Camino (26-4) 56.
3 Montgomery (27-2) 52, Monte Vista (19-13) 49.
CHAMPIONSHIP
At Sports Arena.
Montgomery (28-2) 51, Scripps Ranch (10-21) 48.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
FIRST ROUND
2 Inglewood (29-4, Southern) 93, @Montgomery (28-3) 50.
@4 Rancho Santa Margarita (24-6, Southern) 95, Scripps Ranch (10-22) 40.

D-III

QUARTERFINALS
Mar Vista (10-15) 55, @3 Madison (19-8) 64.
Kearny (14-12) 50, @4 Eastlake (15-11) 53.
SEMIFINALS
At Serra High.
3 Madison (20-8) 54, 2 Mission Bay (13-8) 51.
1 University (24-2) 66, 4 Eastlake (15-12) 57.

CHAMPIONSHIP
At Sports Arena.
1 University (25-2) 88, 3 Madison (20-9) 38.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
FIRST ROUND
At Pasadena High.
3 Pasadena Muir (23-10, Southern) 72, Madison (20-10) 45.
At Inglewood High.
2 University (26-2) 74, Inglewood Morningside (20-10) 66.

SEMIFINALS
Pasadena Muir (23-11, Southern) 59, @2 University (27-2) 71.

CHAMPIONSHIP
At Anaheim Arrowhead Pond.
Studio City Harvard-Westlake (29-2, Southern) 58, University (27-3) 47, OT.

D-IV
At Imperial High.
Play-in: Holtville (13-10) 79, Clairemont (8-17) 73, OT.
QUARTERFINALS
Imperial (17-7) 49, @4 Coronado (17-7) 72.
Jon Skaalen punished the Tigers with 22 points and 14 rebounds.
Holtville (13-11) 64, @3 The Bishop’s (20-7) 65.
Sadiki Ellis’ 17-foot jump shot with two seconds remaining was the difference for winning Knights.

SEMIFINALS
At Eastlake High.
1 Lincoln (20-8) 81, 4 Coronado (17-8) 67.
CHAMPIONSHIP
At Sports Arena.
Lincoln (21-8) 71, Christian (19-8) 58.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
FIRST ROUND
3 Bakersfield Garces (21-7, Central) 83, @Lincoln (22-8) 89.
Christian (18-8) 49, @2 Santa Monica Crossroads (26-8, Southern) 75.
SEMIFINALS
Lincoln (22-9) 62, @Santa Monica Crossroads (27-8, Southern) 84.
D-V
Lutheran (14-9) 40, @Francis Parker (11-15) 50.
Calvin Christian (10-13) 62, @Tri-City Christian (11-13) 59.
Jacob Young buttressed the Crusaders with 34 points.
QUARTERFINALS
Francis Parker (11-16) 52, @2 La Jolla Country Day (19-7) 68.
Calvin Christian (10-14) 26, @1 Horizon (22-5) 91.
Twenty-four of Stacey Robinson’s 28 points came on eight, three-point baskets as Robinson outscored the Crusaders.
Borrego Springs (7-14) 44, @Calipatria (9-15) 42.
At Southwestern College.
Marian (7-15) 71, Julian (11-13) 50.

SEMIFINALS
At Francis Parker School.
2 La Jolla Country Day 87, Borrego Springs (7-15) 43.
1 Horizon (23-5) 68, Marian (7-16) 39.

CHAMPIONSHIP
At Sports Arena.
1 Horizon (24-5) 60, La Jolla Country Day (20-8) 51.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Antelope Valley Christian (25-5, Southern) 55, @2 Horizon (25-5) 84,
West Hollywood Pacific Hills (19-1, Southern) 43, @4 La Jolla Country Day (21-8) 64.
SEMIFINALS
La Jolla Country Day (21-9) 67, @1 Van Nuys Montclair (28-3, Southern) 72, OT.
2 Horizon (26-5) 82, Visalia Central Valley (19-10, Central) 51.

CHAMPIONSHIP
At Cal State-Fullerton.
Van Nuys Montclair (29-3, Southern) 67, Horizon (26-6) 62.

GIRLS
FIRST ROUND
DIVISION I
Southwest (11-14) 24, @4 Rancho Buena Vista (20-8) 68.
Orange Glen (12-17) 42, @Poway (16-10) 52.
San Dieguito (10-16) 60, @Torrey Pines (19-10), 67
Sarah Pearcy’s 18 points included four three-pointers for the Falcons.
Bonita Vista (15-10) 46, @Patrick Henry (20-6) 79.
Michelle Brunker outscored the Barons with a career high 49 points, dedicating her game to Michelle’s six-year-old sister Maria, hospitalized with flu.
Mt. Carmel (12-17) 73, @Helix (21-7) 62.
Sophomore Jill Talbot missed her first three shots, turned over the ball over on her next possession, then torched the favored Highlanders with 25 points and 17 rebounds as the Sundevils overcame an early, 15-7 deficit and led 60-59 with 3:27 left.

QUARTERFINALS
Poway (17-10) 71, @3 Morse (21-6) 38.
Torrey Pines (19-11), 55, @4 Rancho Buena Vista (21-8) 76.
Sophomore Janeene Arendsen brought down the Falcons with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
Patrick Henry (20-7) 48, @Rancho Bernardo (22-5) 78.

SEMIFINALS
At Mira Mesa High.
Vista (18-10) 59, Poway (18-11) 34.
Rancho Bernardo (23-5), 64, 4 Rancho Buena Vista (21-9) 53.
RBV sophomore Eisha Bowman’s 31 points and 11 rebounds weren’t enough to stop the Broncos from a second straight trip to the championship game.

CHAMPIONSHIP
@Sports Arena.
Rancho Bernardo (24-5) 48, Vista (23-6) 46.
Ninth-grader Sarah Wilson drained two free throws with eight seconds left in the game and then Kelly Kernan intercepted Vista’s long inbound pass to seal the victory.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
FIRST ROUND
2 Palos Verdes Peninsula (30-2, Southern) 55, @Rancho Bernardo (25-5) 64.
SEMIFINALS
Rancho Bernardo (25-6) 57, @3 Santa Ana Mater Dei (27-3) 59.
D-II
Escondido (9-19) 52, @4 Montgomery (22-5) 42.
El Camino (13-13) 48, @Oceanside (14-14) 43.
Carlsbad (11-14) 33, @2 Scripps Ranch (28-0) 89.
The Falcons’ Alyssa Murphy: 25 points, 10 assists, 9 steals.
Hilltop 33, @1 Santana (27-1) 92.
Kelly Simers scored 21 points and Sofia Sledge added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Sultans.
University City (10-16) 41, @San Pasqual (19-6) 48.
Five-foot, 5-inch Alicia Smith led the Golden Eagles with 24 points.
Point Loma (14-9) 25, @3 El Capitan (20-7) 50.
Kendra Rhea scored 16 points and pulled in 19 rebounds for the Vaqueros.
Serra (12-14) 47, @2 Valhalla (18-10) 51.
Mount Miguel (12-15) 40, @Ramona (15-10) 58.

QUARTERFINALS
El Camino (13-14) 41, @1 Santana (28-1) 42.
Ramona (15-11) 41, @2 Scripps Ranch (29-0) 90.
Alyssa Murphy had 29 points and 11 assists despite sitting out part of the first quarter and noted, “We’re in a pretty good groove, especially on defense.”
3 El Capitan (21-7) 48, @2 Valhalla (18-11) 36.
Escondido (9-20), 43, @San Pasqual (20-6) 52,
Amy Combe led the Golden Eagles with 20 points, nine steals, and eight rebounds.
SEMIFINALS
At Grossmont College.
1 Santana (29-1) 89, San Pasqual (20-7) 41.
2 Scripps Ranch (30-0) 54, El Capitan (21-8) 39.

CHAMPIONSHIP
At Sports Arena.
2 Scripps Ranch (31-0) 67, 1 Santana (29-2) 60.
“It got old (the lack of respect),” said the Falcons’ Alyssa Murphy.  “We were undefeated. Santana had one loss, but we didn’t even get one first-place vote (from the coaches who voted in the Union-Tribune poll).”

Murphy, who scored 32 points and had 10 assists, added that “it goes ‘way back.  Even when we were 20-4 last year we never got higher than sixth.”on II championshi

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
At Bakersfield High.
5 Santana (30-2) 75, 4 Bakersfield North (25-4, Central) 54.
SEMIFINALS
5 Santana (30-3) 52, @1 Irvine Woodbridge 81.
The Sultans trailed, 63-52, with more than five minutes remaining, then saw the hosts score the last 18 points.

D-III
QUARTERFINALS
@4 Our Lady of Peace (10-18) 54, Kearny (7-16) 36.
@3 Madison (15-10) 60, Mission Bay (4-19) 45.
1 Eastlake (24-5), bye.  2 University (12-13), bye.
SEMIFINALS
At West Hills High.
2 University (13-13) 61, 3 Madison (15-11) 53.
1 Eastlake (25-5) 72, 4 Our Lady of Peace (10-19) 34.
CHAMPIONSHIP
At Sports Arena.
Eastlake (26-5) 75, 2 University (13-14) 47.
Debbie Stanton, a five-foot sophomore, scored 20 points and coach Larry Armbrust got a winner’s soaking.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Ojai Nordhoff (21-8, Southern) 61, @Eastlake (26-6) 49.
University (13-15) 41, @Inglewood Morningside (26-3, Southern) 61.

D-IV
QUARTERFINALS
Holtville (16-11) 39, @4 Clairemont (13-12) 44.
Christian (21-3) 36, @3 The Bishop’s (18-10) 48.
SEMIFINALS
At University City High.
2 Lincoln (17-4) 44, 3 The Bishop’s (18-11) 38.
Laronda Hite hit a three-point basket, followed by a two-point basket, and dished an assist as Lincoln broke from a 26-25 lead with a 7-0 run in the third quarter.
Coronado (21-2) 47, Clairemont (13-13) 33.
“We may not be the most skilled team or the most experienced team, but we have a lot of heart,” said Islanders senior guard Vanessa Bowman.
CHAMPIONSHIP
At Sports Arena.
Coronado (22-2) 43, Lincoln (17-5) 41.
The Islanders withstood a Hornets charge after leading, 29-16, in the third quarter.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Playa del Rey St. Bernard (23-8, Southern) 77, @Coronado (22-3) 35,.
Lincoln (17-6) 42, @Corcoran (26-2, Central) 89.

D-V
FIRST ROUND
At Lincoln.
Christian (21-2) 59, Imperial (11-11) 26.
The Patriots blew it open with a 24-2 second quarter.
Santa Fe Christian (8-14) 48, @Tri-City Christian (8-15) 31.
The visiting Navigators won their first-ever playoff game.
Calipatria (9-12) 38,  @Borrego Springs (11-11) 39.

QUARTERFINALS
Santa Fe Christian (8-15) 28, @2 Horizon (14-10) 57.
Francis Parker 34, @3 La Jolla Country Day (15-7) 57.
Borrego Springs (11-12), @1 Julian (25-3) 93.
Lutheran (15-4) 22, @4 Calvin Christian (10-14) 42, 

SEMIFINALS
At Scripps Ranch High.
1 Julian (26-3) 82, Calvin Christian (10-15) 44.
2 Horizon (15-10) 64, 3 La Jolla Country Day (15-8) 44.

CHAMPIONSHIP
@Sports Arena.
1 Julian (27-3) 53, 2 Horizon (15-11) 35.
“We don’t run plays much, but we do play defense,” said Eagles center Erin Voris, who had 10 points and 13 rebounds.  Horizon surrendered 27 turnovers. Four-foot, 9-inch Amber Holt contributed six steals.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND
At Ramona High.
2 Julian (28-3) 56, Covina Western Christian (17-11, Southern) 48.

SEMIFINALS
At Ramona High.
2 Julian (29-3) 67, Camarillo Cornerstone (21-3) 67-53.

CHAMPIONSHIP
At Cal State-Fullerton.
1 San Luis Obispo Mission (25-2, Southern) 66, Julian (29-4) 48.