Ocean View takes no chances, leaves no doubts

SANTA ANA - Ocean View's coronation came swiftly.

When Anthony Brown's first-quarter 3-pointer sent Inglewood reeling into a timeout with a 14-point deficit, three Seahawks were well on their way to double figures. After a semifinal scare against second-seeded Serra, No. 3 Ocean View knew better than to back off Saturday at Mater Dei High.

Brown scored 21, fellow junior Avery Johnson scored 20 and Mason Jones, the only senior in the Seahawks' rotation, had 18, as Ocean View captured its first CIF-SS championship since 1998, defeating Inglewood, 76-47, for the Division IV-AA title.

"I pictured that we would come out strong, but not this strong," Brown said. "We just kept smashing them, and they had no response."

The Seahawks were efficient and aggressive, shooting and defending their way to an 18-4 lead, just 5:17 into the game. They shot 10-of-18 from the field and four-of-eight from 3-point range in the first quarter.

"It was fun," Johnson said. "I just felt unstoppable. We were hitting our shots early and everything was going well."

Ocean View led by as many as 17 in the first half, forcing 11 turnovers while giving the ball up only three times. By the middle of third quarter, when Inglewood called its second timeout, the Seahawks led 55-29.

Brown grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds and Johnson had five blocks and two steals.

"Avery Johnson and Anthony Brown were who they should be," Coach Jim Harris said. "They were pretty complete players. They rebounded, they scored and they defended."

Jones, who scored nine points in the first quarter and started the Seahawks with a pair of 3-pointers in the second half, transferred before the season from Mater Dei.

"We are the blessed recipient," Harris said. "He has produced some senior leadership that we didn't have, because we don't have seniors."

In the semifinals, Ocean View squeaked by Serra, 46-41, after taking a 17-2 lead. Saturday, the Seahawks continued to stretch their lead into the fourth quarter, reaching a 72-37 advantage midway through.

Inglewood, the bracket's fourth seed, defeated No. 1 Bishop Montgomery in the semifinals.

"I felt like they were going to make a run sooner or later, like Serra did," Brown said. "But we just kept the pedal on."

The Seahawks head to Division III for the state playoffs Tuesday.

Looking further, with only Jones departing the regular lineup, there is, Brown said, "No reason we shouldn't get this again next year."

Contact the writer: jkay@ocregister.com