VILLA PARK—Caleb Banuelos knocked down a 3-pointer with 50 seconds to play to stop Mission Prep of San Luis Obispo’s momentum, and Myles Franklin followed by making five three throws to lead Villa Park to a 76-69 victory in a CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal game Tuesday on the Spartans’ court.
Villa Park (22-5) led, 67-56, with four and a half minutes to play, but the Royals (22-10) went on an 11-1 run to shrink their deficit to one with one minute remaining.
“We ran the play for Caleb exactly the way we drew it up in the huddle,” Villa Park coach Kevin Reynold said. “We knew Mission would be focused on the Franklins (Myles and sophomore brother Julien) and Caleb popped open. I had no doubt he’d make it, he’s been doing it all year.”
Banuelos, a 6-foot senior, had been hot from the perimeter throughout the game. He was 6 of 9 on 3-pointers and ended with 20 points.
Myles Franklin scored 26 points. The 6-4 senior played point guard nearly the entire second half and was particularly effective getting to the free throw line, making 13 of 16, including seven of nine in the fourth period. He also had three 3-pointers.
“It was a great job of senior leadership,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds also called Villa Park’s defense its best of the season.
“That’s a really good team and I knew we’d have to play our best defensive game of the year,” Reynolds said. “Given the circumstances of playing in the elite eight and to get into the final four, I’d have to say it was our best defensive game of the year.”
Villa Park will host Highland of Palmdale in the semifinals Friday night.
“Steve Fryer called me Monday and asked me how big was the coin flip for the home court and I told him we’d know on Tuesday,” Reynolds said. “That coin flip was pretty huge.”