Corona del Mar survives challenge from El Toro

Corona del Mar's Ben Coffman scores acrobatically past El Toro's Julian Bruce, left, and Noah Aguilar during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over the Chargers in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar students perform during halftime during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over the Chargers in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
El Toro cheerleaders support their team during pre-game activities during the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar cheerleaders watch teammates perform during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over El Toro in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar fans react after a dunk by the Sea Kings' Kevin Kobrine during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over El Toro in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
El Toro's Demetrius Jackson drives to the hoop past Corona del Mar's Kevin Kobrine, left, and John Humphreys during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over the Chargers in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar coach Ryan Schachter glances at the scoreboard during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over El Toro in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Dennis Rodman, Jr. tries to stop El Toro's Bruce Haidrey as Kyle Hatch helps defend during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over the Chargers in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Dennis Rodman, Jr. defends El Toro's Noah Aguilar during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over the Chargers in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Mitch Haly battles for a rebound with El Toro's Maxx Hazely during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over the Chargers in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Mitch Haly tries to stop El Toro's Maxx Hazely during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over the Chargers in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Dennis Rodman, Jr. shoots over El Toro's Bruce Haidrey, left, and Noah Aguilar during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over the Chargers in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Kevin Kobrine dunks past El Toro's Maxx Hazely during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's John Humphreys shoots over El Toro's Bruce Haidrey during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over the Chargers in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
El Toro coach Todd Dixon during the Chargers' 67-64 loss to Corona del Mar in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Mitch Haly battles for a rebound with El Toro's Maxx Hazely during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over El Toro in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Kevin Kobrine is fouled as he scores past El Toro's Maxx Hazely and Demetrius Jackson during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Ben Coffman defends El Toro's Julian Bruce during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over El Toro in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Mitch Haly celebrates after Kevin Kobrine scored after he was fouled during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over El Toro in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Kevin Kobrine is fouled by El Toro's Bruce Haidrey during the Sea Kings' 67-64 win.
Corona del Mar's Dennis Rodman, Jr. sinks a free-throw with 11 seconds remaining during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over El Toro in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Kevin Kobrine, left, and Ben Coffman, defend a last second three-point attempt by El Toro's Demetrius Jackson during the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar's Mitch Haly celebrates after the Sea Kings' 67-64 victory over El Toro in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1A playoffs in Newport Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

By Steve Fryer | sfryer@scng.com | Orange County Register

February 15, 2017 at 10:46 p.m.

Playoff games are survival games.

Dennis Rodman Jr. kept Corona del Mar alive in the CIF-Southern Section playoffs by scoring 30 points in a 67-64 win over El Toro on Wednesday in a Division 1A first-round game at Corona del Mar High.

Corona del Mar (21-7) will play at Dominguez of Compton (21-5) in the second round Friday night.

El Toro finished 18-10 in Todd Dixon’s final game as Chargers coach. Dixon will be men’s basketball coach at Santiago Canyon College next season when the Orange community college launches its men’s basketball program.

The lead changed hands many times throughout the game, including the fourth quarter.

“We didn’t give up,” Rodman said. “We hit shots when we needed them.”

Rodman, a 6-foot-4 sophomore and a son of former NBA star Dennis Rodman, hit shots when the Sea Kings needed them. He scored nine points in the fourth quarter, going 4 for 4 at the free-throw line.

The Chargers took a 64-63 lead with 51 seconds remaining when Noah Aguilar rebounded teammate Demetrius Jackson’s missed free throw for a layup.

At the other end, Corona del Mar freshman John Humphreys drove through El Toro defenders to toss in a short bank shot to put Corona del Mar on top, 65-64. Rodman was fouled after snagging a defensive rebound and made both free throws with 11 seconds to go to push the Sea Kings’ lead to 67-64.

El Toro was able to hoist a pair of 3-point attempts in the remaining time but tight Corona del Mar defense made both shots difficult.

Sea Kings junior Kevin Kobrine scored 14 points. Humphreys added nine.

Aguilar, a junior, paced El Toro with 17 points. Chargers senior Bruce Haidrey scored 15 points and junior Maxx Hazely added 14 with seven rebounds. Jackson scored 12, eight in the fourth quarter.

Also in Division 1A:

Tesoro 55, Bonita 53: Willy Duggan scored 16 points and Triston Broughton added 15 for the visiting Titans (17-10), who on Friday will play at home against ML King of Riverside (20-10), which beat Canyon on Wednesday.

San Clemente 66, Downey 63: The host Tritons (20-8) were led by Blake Birmingham’s 26 points. They play at fourth-seeded La Canada in the second round Friday.

In Division 1AA:

Edison 86, Inglewood 79: Randall Walker scored 36 points, his second-highest total of the season, and Matt Serven chipped in 25 points for the host Chargers (23-4). They play at Tahquitz of Hemet in the second round Friday.

In Division 2AA:

Tustin 63, Los Osos of Rancho Cucamonga 44: Isaiah Gonzalez made six 3-pointers and finished with 18 points for the host Tillers (19-8).

In Division 3AA:

Godinez 59, Diamond Bar 56: Ramon Lopez-Felix, among the county’s top scorers all season, scored 30 points for the host Grizzlies (26-3).

Ocean View 61, Glendora 56: Paul Head’s 17 points led a balanced scoring effort for the host Seahawks (22-6).

In Division 4AA:

Westminster 69, South Hills of Covina 62: Tylor Pham and Joshua Lee scored 18 and 16 points, respectively, for the host Lions (14-13).

In Division 6:

Pacifica Christian 76, Bethel Baptist 34: For a change, it was not Dominick Harris who led the second-seeded Tritons (20-3). It was Timmy Bahador’s 18 points that topped the scoring sheet.

Contact the writer: sfryer@scng.com