The playoffs are not the time of the season to be hesitant.
Ocean View proved Wednesday night it has no fear when it comes to taking shots and that paid off in an 85-54 win over Los Amigos in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 3A boys basketball playoffs at Ocean View High.
Zamir Kelly scored 21 points to lead the Seahawks (17-10), who were co-champs of the Golden West League. Paul Head added 20 points and Bryson Betti accounted for five of the team’s 3-pointers.
Ocean View will be at home against Corona del Mar (21-6) in a second-round game Friday. The Sea Kings defeated Bellflower, 63-36, Wednesday.
The only trouble for the Seahawks came at the start. Led by Junior Tallabas (17 points), the Lobos (11-15) scored the game’s first seven points.
Andrew Reynolds was the first man off the bench for Ocean View. He scored four quick points to give his team the jolt it seemed to need.
“He came in with great energy. He’s been doing that the last two months for us,” Seahawks coach Tim Walsh said of Reynolds’ role. “Coming off the bench, being a great sixth man and providing that spark when we need it. He did (that) tonight.”
The inspired Seahawks scored 27 consecutive points to take control of a game that had been tied. Betti, a freshman, hit four straight 3-pointers in the second quarter during that stretch.
“We try to find each other, find the open man, and get up the first open shot. We’re an unselfish team,” Betti said. “They just kept on finding me. Every time I touched it in rhythm, I knew it was going in.”
Los Amigos received an at-large bid out of the Garden Grove League. The Lobos’ offense came to life with a 26-point third quarter, but the deficit remained 58-39 going to the fourth.
Alfred Dominguez scored 10 points and Allen Le added eight points and six rebounds for the Lobos.
