ALISO VIEJO – Nail-biting games are getting to be a habit for San Clemente’s boys basketball team, and that’s just fine with Coach Marc Popovich and the rest of the Tritons.
San Clemente won its third straight game by four points or less Friday night, holding off Aliso Niguel, 63-59, in a South Coast League battle at Aliso Niguel High.
Blake Birmingham scored 27 points, including 20 in the second half, and the Tritons (12-7 overall) took the early lead in the league race at 2-0.
The Tritons’ victory came two days after a 52-51 win over Trabuco Hills and a week after a 57-56 nonleague triumph over Troy.
“That’s the way it’s been for us,” Popovich said. “We’ve played nothing but close games so far. It’s crazy.
“Our kids are tough and they make plays down the stretch. It’s been fun to watch.”
The Tritons needed those plays down the stretch after Aliso Niguel (13-7, 1-1) fought back to take a 55-54 lead with 4:28 left in the fourth quarter. Dylan Dickerson’s layup off a steal by Ethan Reed capped an 11-0 run for the Wolverines, who had trailed by 14 in the first quarter.
Birmingham regained the lead for San Clemente with a short jumper at 3:56, but Lucas Parks’ driving layup a minute later put Aliso Niguel back up, 57-56.
The Tritons closed with a 7-0 run, starting with Birmingham’s long 3-pointer at 2:30. Roberto Medrano’s layup off a feed from Isaac Rex made it 61-57, and Birmingham essentially clinched it with both ends of a one-and-one with 20 seconds left.
Aliso Niguel was coming off its own close victory, a 70-67 win over El Toro in the league opener Wednesday. But the Wolverines’ all-junior starting lineup fell into an 18-4 hole in the first quarter against San Clemente.
They fought back in the second quarter as 6-foot-8 center Harminder Dhaliwal scored eight points and David Sullivan scored on a putback and a free throw to pull Aliso Niguel within 25-19.
Dhaliwal added eight points in the third period and finished the game with 18. Parks scored six points in the third quarter and seven in the fourth to finish with 15.
The teams will meet again Jan. 27 at San Clemente.
