ANAHEIM – Take away their best player.
That was the strategy Pioneer of Whittier used against Esperanza on Friday night, but the Aztecs still prevailed over the visiting Titans, 71-54, in the second round of the Division 3A boys basketball playoffs.
Call it a lesson learned.
The Aztecs’ Jarrett Brodbeck is not just a scorer but also a facilitator. His shots were not there, so he deferred to his teammates and they came up big.
“He did a good job for us tonight by not forcing a lot of shots and allowing the other kids to play,” Esperanza coach Mark Hill said.
“He was realizing that they were doubling him, so he was kicking out. My job was to make plays on the offensive side and that’s what he usually does,” sophomore guard Kezie Okpala added.
Okpala did precisely that, leading all scorers with 22 points.
Senior and co-captain Tyler Thomas added 17 points and 13 rebounds, nine of which came in the first half.
“Tyler plays so much bigger than what he is,” Brodbeck said. “Gets boards, plays tough. He got it done tonight.”
Brodbeck ended the game with 11 points, while teammate Travis Kettering added 8.
Esperanza will be at Servite for the quarterfinals on Tuesday night.
Pioneer guard Khieem Williams sank a 3-pointer at the end of the first quarter to cut the Titans’ deficit to 16-14. The second quarter began with multiple turnovers by the Titans, and the Aztecs went on a 13-3 run. Esperanza led 35-26 at halftime.
Contact the writer: preps@ocregister.com
