ORANGE – One rematch down. One rematch coming up.
KaVaughn Scott’s three-point play with eight seconds remaining Wednesday lifted Orange Lutheran to a 63-62 win over Army-Navy of Carlsbad in a CIF Southern California Regionals Division II first-round playoff game at Orange Lutheran.
The Lancers (22-8) had beaten Army-Navy on Jan. 30. Wednesday’s win sends them to Washington Prep of Los Angeles (20-11) in a second-round game Saturday at 6 p.m. Orange Lutheran lost to Washington Prep, 61-58, on Dec. 11 in the Beverly Hills Tournament.
Orange Lutheran led Army-Navy for most of the game. Army-Navy’s Ed Fenzi made a baseline 3-pinter with 1:19 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Warriors (21-11) a 61-60 lead. After an Orange Lutheran turnover, the team’s 19th, Army-Navy’s Aziz Seck made one of two free throws with 30 seconds left to make it 62-60.
Lutheran coach Chris Nordstrom called time out and he called for Scott, a 6-foot-7, 205-pound senior forward, to set up in the low post. The Lancers’ Zac Jervis fed the ball to Scott there, Scott spun left, powered in a layup to tie the score, was fouled and, with eight seconds to go, made the free throw to put the Lancers on top, 63-62.
“You’ve got to go to your senior around the rim to win the game,” Nordstrom said.
Scott intercepted Army-Navy’s inbounds pass at midcourt. (“You’ve got to read the passer’s eyes and his body language,” Scott said.) Scott passed to the teammate Chris Williams who was fouled. Williams, a senior who is one of Lutheran’s more-reliable shooters, missed both free-throw attempts.
Army-Navy’s Connor McClurg rebounded the second miss, dribbled upcourt, saw a lane and headed for the basket. McClurg made a layup that appeared to have been released after the buzzer, but that was moot – an official whistled McClurg for traveling.
Scott said the Lancers, who had not played since Feb. 23, performed with “raggedness” and Nordstrom agreed.
“Holy smokes,” Nordstrom said. “We were a mess.”
Williams led Lutheran with 13 points, including three 3-pointers. Scott scored 12 with seven rebounds and junior point guard Joseph Riley scored 10.
Lutheran shot 24 for 56 from the field. Army-Navy made 26 of its 52 shots.
Washington Prep, which beat Santa Monica in a first-round game Wednesday, is higher-seeded ( No. 4) so it is the home team against fifth-seeded Orange Lutheran.
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com
