Union Tribune Article -
Eagles hold off late Torreys’ run in Coastal League contest, regain enough footing to share league crown if they can hold serve the rest of the way
Not too long ago, the Coastal League was among the county’s best.
Foothills Christian was a power and on any given night, Orange Glen, Army-Navy, Francis Parker, Bishop’s, La Jolla Country Day or Santa Fe Christian could jump up and bite you.
The league, however, has turned into the haves and have-nots with La Jolla Country Day and Santa Fe Christian battling it out at the top.
Tuesday night, Santa Fe Christian turned the tables, hitting 12 3-pointers — 8 of 9 in the first quarter — beating the Torreys 74-68 in a battle of top teams in the league.
The Santa Fe Christian victory avenges a 19-point loss in the first round of league play, when LJCD made 18 3-pointers.
With the win, No. 9-ranked SFC — the defending league champion — moves to 18-5 overall, 7-1 in league play. LJCD sees its seven-game win streak snapped and falls to 17-7 overall, 9-1 in the league.
“This was a huge game,” said SFC’s Brycen Mackenzie, who finished with a game-high 34 points. “Our goal was to go unbeaten in the league, so losing to Country Day that first time was a wake-up call. We were kind of shocked.
“Now, if we can win out, we’ll be co-champions.”
The Eagles shocked the Torreys this time, leading by 31 points 74-43 — with 5:05 to play.
But LJCD finished the game on a 25-0 run as Chris Carillo scored 21 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter.
“They pressed us, and we were ready,” Mackenzie said. “We’ll get back to practice and work on that.”
SFC put up 30 points in the first quarter with Drew Bickley scoring five of the first eight SFC points, and led by 16. The Eagles hit two more 3-pointers in the second quarter and led 46-20 at the break, outscoring LJCD 16-6.
“My mentality is to hit that first one,” Bickley said. “I also want to get in the lane and find my teammates.”
Mackenzie led all scorers with 34 points and had six rebounds. Bickley added 17 points. Bickley also had six rebounds
SFC made 12 of 21 3-point tries.
Carillo led LJCD with 29, hitting seven 3-pointers.
Bito Bass-Sulpizio, the quarterback on the football team who missed the last part of that season with a shoulder injury, added 11 points.
Anthony Aruffo finished with 11.
Bass-Sulpizio is headed to Cornell to play football.
Aruffo is headed to Sarah Lawrence, a top academic school just outside New York City.
LJCD connected on 13 of 27 3-point attempts.
“I miss the days when every team in this league was a threat,” said SFC coach Chad Bickley. “It made every game exciting, got everyone revved up.
“But things run in cycles. That’s why this game was so important. We couldn’t let them make 18 (treys again).
“We played really well early, then the game turned kind of weird.
“It’s really good to win, but we have some things to work on.”