Boys’ Basketball: CdM places fourth at tournament

Prior to Corona del Mar High’s final game in its boys’ basketball tournament, the CdM Beach Bash, Coach Ryan Schachter brought in the trophies for the top three teams. Someone asked him if one of those trophies was for his team, and he replied, “If we win.”

The Sea Kings didn’t come away with any prize. They lost to San Bernardino Cajon, 63-59, in the third-place game on Saturday night.

A slow start by CdM and its inability to handle Cajon’s speed resulted in the Sea Kings’ second straight setback in the tournament. The Sea Kings began the season with four wins, three coming in the tournament, until they lost to Mater Dei, 73-39, in the semifinals on Friday.

“We played Mater Dei early [in the CdM Beach Bash last season], and we had a little Mater Dei hangover the day after, which might have happened to Corona del Mar tonight,” said Cajon Coach Randy Murray, adding that he was happy to see his team respond after losing to Compton, 77-55, in the semifinals. “The Mater Dei hangover was what we were hoping [would happen to CdM].”

Playing for the fifth time in six days seemed to affect the Sea Kings (4-2).

The first quarter by CdM featured more turnovers than points. The Sea Kings turned the ball over eight times in the first eight minutes and they managed to score only five points.

The mistakes contributed to the Cowboys taking a 16-5 first-quarter lead. The play by Jeremiah Martin also helped, as the 6-foot-5 center produced 10 points in the opening quarter. Each of his four baskets came in the paint, splitting them between putbacks and dunks.

After a dismal two-of-10 shooting performance in the first quarter, the Sea Kings bounced back in the second quarter. Matt Ctvrtlik made two hook shots in the first 41 seconds, and CdM went on a 13-2 run. During the surge, Chase Garbers (10 points) made two baskets and Taeveon Le (14 points and six rebounds) had a putback.

Ctvrtlik, who had 12 points, eight rebounds and two steals, accounted for seven of CdM’s first 13 points in the second quarter. The production allowed CdM to catch Cajon at 18-18 with 3:40 left in the first half.

Then the Sea Kings, who made six of their first eight shots in the second quarter, failed to score again in the half. They misfired on their last five shots.

The last two baskets before halftime belonged to Martin, who finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds. He once again scored in the paint and he threw down an emphatic right-handed dunk to put the Cowboys up, 22-18, with three minutes to go.

Jarred Hyder, who had 13 points, created more distance between Cajon and CdM in the third quarter. In the final two minutes, the guard made two long-range three-pointers and a floater in the lane, allowing the Cowboys to go into the fourth with a 43-31 lead.

The Sea Kings made it close toward the end. Le recorded eight points in the fourth quarter, while Sam Kobrine added seven of his 11 points in the fourth. D.J. Rodman recorded all seven of his points in the fourth.

C.J. Hyder put the game away at the free-throw line for Cajon (4-3). The guard converted six of nine foul shots in the fourth, giving him 20 points.

“We cut it to [49-45 with 3½ minutes to go] in the fourth quarter, but we missed free throws,” said Schachter, whose team made only 10 of 16 free throws in the fourth quarter.

“[We had a] really bad first quarter, but they came out with a lot more energy to start the game. We weren’t ready to go and they were, and they jumped on us. That’s the difference in the game.”

That also proved to be the difference in CdM not earning the third-place trophy in its tournament for the second straight year.

—

CdM Beach Bash

Third-place game

Cajon 63, Corona del Mar 59

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Cajon 16 – 6 – 21 – 20 — 63

CdM 5 – 13 – 13 – 28— 59

C – Martin 20, C. Hyder 20, J. Hyder 13, Washington 3, Thompson 3, Gray 2, Eastland 2.

3-pt. goals – J. Hyder 3, Thompson 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

CdM – Le 14, Ctvrtlik 12, Kobrine 11, Garbers 10, Rodman 7, Coffman 5.

3-pt. goals – Ctvrtlik 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.