San Marcos’ Scott Everman totaled 20 points and eight rebounds in Friday’s victory over Rio Mesa.
Local teams fared well on the opening day of Carpinteria High’s Jim Bashore Holiday Cage Classic, with San Marcos, Santa Barbara, Laguna Blanca and the host Warriors winning games.
Bishop Diego, the fifth local team in the 12-team tournament, lost to Nipomo 63-59.
Defending champion San Marcos started out with a 57-48 victory over Rio Mesa.
“I think that we took a step forward tonight, I do,” said Royals head coach Landon Boucher. “I don’t think we took a lot of steps forward but I do think we took a step forward.”
Scott Everman’s 20 points was a team high, followed by Ryan McCarthy’s 15. Everman added eight boards to his point total. Boucher credited Walker Odell and Scott Voulgaris for playing well stepping into bigger roles in the absence of the injured Thomas Hantgin. San Marcos’ sixth man just learned he’s out for the season with a torn ACL.
“To lose him is hard, so it’s kind of forcing guys in the lineup to be moved up a spot and I think that’s been successful. You saw it tonight,” Boucher said.
San Marcos led 32-18 at halftime but Rio Mesa hung around in the second half. Rio Mesa’s Garrett Bilby knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:08 remaining in the game to trim the Royals’ lead to 52-46. Three free throws by McCarthy on the next two possessions put the game out of reach for the Spartans.
Santa Barbara crushed Channel Islands, 80-30, to improve to 8-1 on the season. Ben Clay and Bolden Brace led the Dons in scoring.
Carpinteria fell behind in the first quarter before rallying past Santa Ynez 44-28. Omar Miranda and Mason Picerni sat out the first quarter for breaking a team rule but returned to spark the victory. Guard Aaron Drain paired with Miranda to form a potent backcourt attack.
“Our defense picked up and we really started taking the game to them,” said Warriors head coach Johnny Ward. “Our guard play took over the game.”
The defense of Phillip Fauntleroy inspired Laguna Blanca to a 48-42 win over Hueneme.
Fauntleroy held Hueneme’s top scorer to one point in the second half after he scored 18 in the first half.
“Phillip shut him down,” said assistant coach Bo Rodriguez.
Spenser Wyatt scored 17 points and Jose Espinosa had 14 points and eight rebounds to lead Laguna Blanca (3-3). Stephen McCaffery added nine points.
Laguna Blanca and Carpinteria face each other on Saturday at 3 p.m.
The tournament has a round-robin group format during the first three days, then a championship round on the fourth day depending on results from group play.
SCOREBOARD
All Games at Carpinteria High School – 4810 Foothill Road, Carpinteria, Ca
Friday, December 19
12:30 – Laguna Blanca 48, Hueneme 42
2:00 – Cabrillo 83, Nordhoff 43
3:30 – Carpinteria 44, Santa Ynez 28
5:00 – Nipomo 63, Bishop Diego 59
6:30 – Santa Barbara 80, Channel Islands 30
8:00 – San Marcos 57, Rio Mesa 48
Saturday, December 20
9:00 a.m. – Hueneme vs Santa Ynez
10:30 a.m. – Nordhoff vs Channel Islands
12:00 – Bishop Diego vs Rio Mesa
1:30 – Nipomo vs San Marcos
3:00 – Laguna Blanca vs Carpinteria
4:30 – Cabrillo vs Santa Barbara
Monday, December 22
9:00 a.m. – Santa Ynez vs Laguna Blanca
10:30 a.m. – Cabrillo vs Channel Islands
12:00 – Rio Mesa vs Nipomo
1:30 – San Marcos vs Bishop Diego
3:00 – Carpinteria vs Hueneme
4:30 – Santa Barbara vs Nordhoff
Tuesday, December 23
9:00 a.m. – 4th Pool C 4th Pool A
10:30 a.m. – 3rd Pool C 4th Pool B
12:00 – 2nd Pool C 3rd Pool A
1:30 – 1st Pool C 3rd Pool B
3:00 – 3rd Place: 2nd Pool A 2nd Pool B
4:30 – Championship: 1st Pool A 1st Pool B
