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Chance Hunter’s big game not enough for Long Beach State in loss to UC Davis

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LONG BEACH — Chance Hunter’s career night wasn’t quite enough for Long Beach State on Thursday night as UC Davis’ Elijah Pepper grabbed a key rebound with three seconds left and the Aggies held on for an 85-82 victory at LBSU’s Walter Pyramid.

Long Beach, which trailed by 20 in the first half, closed to within 83-81 when Hunter hit his second consecutive 3-pointer with seven seconds left, but Pepper made one of two free throws, then grabbed the rebound after Long Beach’s Colin Slater missed the second of his two free throws with three seconds left. Pepper, who had a career-high 19 points, was fouled and made one of two free throws to ice the game for UC Davis.

Hunter finished with a career-high 28 points and went 5 for 9 from 3-point range, while freshman Joshua Morgan had his first career double-double with 10 points, a career-high 14 rebounds and three blocked shots for LBSU (6-13 overall, 1-2 Big West Conference). Jordan Roberts and Slater scored 11 points apiece. Jordan Griffin made his 100th career 3-pointer.

Freshman Ezra Manjon scored 19 points for UC Davis (7-11, 1-1), Joe Mooney added 14 and Stefan Gonzalez scored 13 off the bench for the Aggies, who went 27 for 36 from the free-throw line in a game that featured 51 fouls and four technical fouls (two on each team).

Long Beach had an early 10-8 lead following a dunk from Morgan, but one of the key moments came early. After a personal foul on LBSU’s Michael Carter III, the next possession saw the sophomore called for a charge and then assessed a technical foul. The three fouls in quick succession forced Long Beach coach Dan Monson to pull his point guard, and the momentum rapidly swung in the Aggies’ favor.

A similar situation forced a second Long Beach starter out of the game, as LBSU’s Romelle Mansel and UC Davis’ Kennedy Koehler were assessed double technicals following a Mansel foul. The Aggies continued to push, taking advantage of 12 first-half turnovers by Long Beach and eventually held a 39-19 lead with 6:05 left before intermission.

Long Beach put Carter back in the game despite his foul trouble, and a Hunter layup just before the halftime buzzer trimmed the Aggies’ lead to 45-32.

A Hunter 3-pointer cut the margin to single digits within the first five minutes of the second half, and a Morgan basket in the paint tied the score at 52-52 with 9:40 left. UC Davis bounced back, though, getting five quick points from Gonzalez and rebuilding a double-digit lead in the closing minutes before Long Beach made its final push.

Trailing by 11 with 44 seconds remaining, Griffin hit a 3-pointer, then UC Davis turnovers set up the pair of 3-pointers from Hunter that cut the margin to two with seven seconds left.

Long Beach finished with 18 turnovers.

Long Beach next hosts Cal State Fullerton (5-13, 0-3) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the women’s team. UC Davis plays at Cal State Northridge (7-12, 2-1) on Saturday at 3 p.m.


Rep. Harley Rouda endorses Mike Bloomberg for president

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Rep. Harley Rouda is endorsing billionaire Mike Bloomberg as Democratic candidate for president, citing the former New York City mayor’s business experience and track record fighting climate change.

“He has the ability to not only beat Donald Trump but, more importantly, to bring our country together, and restore America to its place as the leader of the free world,” Rouda said in a statement slated to go public Friday.

Bloomberg gave at least $4 million to support Rouda, D-Laguna Beach, in 2018 when he flipped Orange County’s coastal 48th District to blue for the first time.

Rouda told Politico that he liked what he heard Thursday when the billionaire businessman — who’s been a Democrat, a Republican and an independent in the past — sold himself as a centrist during closed-door meetings on Capitol Hill.

Republicans still have a 6.4 percentage point voter registration advantage in Rouda’s district. While the congressman has been vocal about climate change issues, and voted to impeach Trump, the former Republican also has spoken out against the Democratic party going too far to the left.

“Like myself, Mike Bloomberg believes in smart capitalism coupled with good government,” Rouda said.

“He’s a legendary businessman who also ran one of the nation’s largest and most complex cities, a city with a population larger than 39 states. He’s met payrolls, knows how to balance budgets, and understands the intricacies of our economy.”

Bloomberg entered the presidential race late, but has already poured more than $100 million into TV ads and adding hundreds of staffers across the county.

Bloomberg said he’s honored to have Rouda’s support, which comes less than two weeks after the media magnate opened his first California campaign office in Riverside. Rouda is the third Democratic House member to endorse Bloomberg this week, joining Florida Rep. Stephanie Murphy and New York Rep. Max Rose.

When asked Jan. 7 who he was backing for president, Rouda would only say that he was supporting “whoever can beat President Trump.”

The next morning, news leaked that Rouda was billed with Rep. Lou Correa, D-Anaheim, and others to co-host a private fundraiser in Irvine for former Vice President Joe Biden. Correa formally endorsed Biden in August and joined his campaign trail last week.

But neither Rouda nor Correa showed up to the Biden fundraiser in Shady Canyon on Jan. 9, since they were stuck voting in Washington, D.C.

Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, has been stumping for Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren since she became a co-chair of the senator’s campaign in the fall.

The other four local House representatives haven’t endorsed anyone for president, with Reps. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano, and Linda Sanchez, D-Whittier, saying they likely won’t back anyone before the March 3 primary.

No retrial for McStay family killer Charles Merritt, judge rules at sentencing

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A hearing Friday, Jan. 17, for what was supposed to be the sentencing of Charles “Chase” Merritt for murdering a Fallbrook family of four in 2010, included many twists and even a request for retrial, before being continued to Tuesday.

Merritt, 62, was scheduled to learn his fate in San Bernardino Superior Court after a jury recommended a sentence of life without parole for the slaying of his former San Clemente business associate, Dana Hills High graduate Joseph McStay, 40, and death sentences for killing McStay’s wife, Summer, 43, and sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3. Prosecutors say the McStay family was bludgeoned to death shortly after McStay told Merritt he was being cut out of their water-feature business because of poor performance and suspicion of theft. Their skeletal remains were found three years later in the High Desert.

Merritt will now have to wait until Tuesday to be sentenced after a motion for a retrial took all day and was denied. Monday is a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Friday, there were oddities from the moment Judge Michael A. Smith took the bench about 10:15 a.m. until the court cleared about seven hours later.

  • Charles “Chase” Merritt, who has been convicted of killing the 4-member McStay family of Fallbrook and burying their remains in the San Bernardino County desert back in 2010, sits with his attorney Rajan Maline in San Bernardino Superior Court Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. Merritt, who was scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Michael Smith to either life in prison or death on Friday, has been delayed until Tuesday due to defense motions taking up most of the day. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Charles “Chase” Merritt, who has been convicted of killing the 4-member McStay family of Fallbrook and burying their remains in the San Bernardino County desert back in 2010, sits in San Bernardino Superior Court Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. Merritt, who was scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Michael Smith to either life in prison or death on Friday, has been delayed until Tuesday due to defense motions taking up most of the day. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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  • Charles “Chase” Merritt, who has been convicted of killing the McStay family and burying their remains in the San Bernardino County desert, carries papers to the judges chambers in San Bernardino Superior Court Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Charles “Chase” Merritt, who has been convicted of killing the 4-member McStay family of Fallbrook and burying their remains in the San Bernardino County desert back in 2010, sits in San Bernardino Superior Court Friday Jan. 17, 2020. Merritt, who was scheduled to be sentenced by judge Michael Smith to either life in prison or death on Friday, has been delayed until till Tuesday due to defense motions taking up most of the day. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Prosecutors listen to defense arguments during a sentencing hearing for Charles “Chase” Merritt in San Bernardino Superior Court Friday Jan. 17, 2020. Merritt has been convicted of killing the 4-member McStay family of Fallbrook and burying their remains in the San Bernardino County desert back in 2010. Merritt, who was scheduled to be sentenced by judge Michael Smith to either life in prison or death on Friday, has been delayed until till Tuesday due to defense motions taking up most of the day. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Charles “Chase” Merritt’s ex-girlfriend Cathy Jarvis and Merritt’s sisters Juanita Merritt and Sheryl Knefelkamp speak with the media outside of San Bernardino Superior Court Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. Charles Merritt was convicted of murder for the 4-member McStay family of Fallbrook and burying their remains in the San Bernardino County desert back in 2010.(Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Charles “Chase” Merritt, who has been convicted of killing the 4-member McStay family of Fallbrook and burying their remains in the San Bernardino County desert back in 2010, speaks with his attorney Rajan Maline in San Bernardino Superior Court Friday Jan. 17, 2020. Merritt, who was scheduled to be sentenced by judge Michael Smith to either life in prison or death on Friday, has been delayed until till Tuesday due to defense motions taking up most of the day. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Charles “Chase” Merritt, who has been convicted of killing the 4-member McStay family of Fallbrook and burying their remains in the San Bernardino County desert back in 2010, speaks with his attorney Rajan Maline in San Bernardino Superior Court Friday Jan. 17, 2020. Merritt, who was scheduled to be sentenced by judge Michael Smith to either life in prison or death on Friday, has been delayed until till Tuesday due to defense motions taking up most of the day. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Charles “Chase” Merritt, who has been convicted of killing the 4-member McStay family of Fallbrook and burying their remains in the San Bernardino County desert back in 2010, sits in San Bernardino Superior Court Friday Jan. 17, 2020. Merritt, who was scheduled to be sentenced by judge Michael Smith to either life in prison or death on Friday, has been delayed until till Tuesday due to defense motions taking up most of the day. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Charles “Chase” Merritt, who has been convicted of killing the 4-member McStay family of Fallbrook and burying their remains in the San Bernardino County desert back in 2010, sits with his attorney Rajan Maline in San Bernardino Superior Court Friday Jan. 17, 2020. Merritt, who was scheduled to be sentenced by judge Michael Smith to either life in prison or death on Friday, has been delayed until till Tuesday due to defense motions taking up most of the day. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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• Smith appeared to be taken aback that at 9:15 a.m., Merritt’s attorney, Rajan Maline, filed the motion for a new trial that included a 91-page brief on the cellphone tower evidence that prosecutors say placed Merritt near the gravesites in the San Bernardino County desert north of Victorville in the days after the McStays vanished on Feb. 4, 2010. Maline’s grounds for a new trial were insufficient evidence, prosecutorial misconduct and ineffective defense counsel.

• The ineffective defense gambit led Maline to grill his former co-counsel, James E. McGee, on the witness stand. Maline said that McGee, who withdrew from the case after the guilty verdicts, failed to challenge prosecution evidence by having the defense cellphone tower expert testify to errors in AT&T records. Maline launched into a highly technical explanation that Smith appeared to understand but had observers looking at each other quizzically.

• As the court broke for lunch, Merritt was seen having an animated conversation with Maline. When Smith retook the bench, Maline announced that Merritt wanted to fire him as his attorney, prompting gasps from a courtroom with about two dozen friends and family members of the Merritts  and McStays. A hearing was called, and Merritt picked up a document folder and marched across the courtroom, escorted but unrestrained, joining Maline in Smith’s chambers for a hearing.

• Maline said prosecutors misrepresented evidence or “outright lied.” Responded Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes: “Once again the People are assailed with baseless claims of misconduct.”

• Smith then addressed the claim of insufficient evidence. “There’s no evidence linking Mr. Merritt to these murders,” Maline had argued. “None.” Smith promised not to go over every bit introduced over the course of the six-month trial. But Smith was thorough, and the gallery grew restless, with some people shifting in their seats and others taking brief breaks outside the courtroom. Smith eventually ruled that there was sufficient — though highly circumstantial — evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that Merritt was guilty.

Prosecutors said that Merritt’s cellphone was turned off during critical hours, and pings from it on Feb. 6, 2010, two days after the murder at the McStay home, put him in the area where the graves would be found years later. Further, prosecutors had argued, a high-tech analysis of a video from a surveillance camera proves that Merritt’s truck left the McStay home the night of the murders, and that Merritt’s activity with McStay’s QuickBooks shows he was looting it.

The judge pointed out that Merritt’s DNA had been found on the steering wheel and gear shift of McStays’ abandoned SUV near the Mexico border. Also, detectives noted that in an interview before the McStays had been found dead, Merritt referred to them in the past tense.

• At that moment, Smith ruled that there would be no new trial and the sentencing would go on. Maline declined to comment on the judge’s decision not to order a retrial. “We’re not done,” he said

Joseph McStay, 40, his wife Summer, 43, and their two sons, Gianni, 3, and Joseph, 3, were discovered dead in shallow graves just north of Victorville on Nov. 11, 2013. (Courtesy Photo)

Smith offered to send everyone home for the day, as the hour approached 5 p.m., but shouts from McStay family members convinced Smith to allow a victim-impact statement from Patrick McStay, Joseph’s father, who had flown in for the day.

“My son did nothing but help you and your family,” McStay said, addressing Merritt and the court. “What did you do for him?” McStay said his son paid the bills for Merritt’s family while Merritt was in jail in 2009. “How did you repay him? By killing him, his wife and his defenseless sons. A ruthless mass murderer. I hope you burn in hell. I will pray for your family and your children.”

Smith said he would consider a motion for a reduced sentence and hear more victim-impact statements on Tuesday. He can follow the jury’s sentencing recommendations or impose his own.

Even after court was out for the day, there was a surprise. Cathy Jarvis, who is Merritt’s ex-girlfriend and the mother of his children; and a sister, Juanita Merritt, said Maline had asked them not to speak to the media. But frustrated, they broke their silence.

Jarvis said she provided an alibi for Merritt. The night of Feb. 4, 2010, she said she saw an incoming call from Joseph McStay on Merritt’s phone while he was at her apartment in Rancho Cucamonga. She said that alibi was ignored “because it didn’t fit with the timeline (prosecutors) are trying to construct. I’m upset that this could happen in this day and age.”

Said Juanita Merritt: “There’s no way one man could have done this. My brother loved Joseph. There’s no way they could get in an argument that was so bad that Chase would murder him.”

Canyon girls basketball upsets No. 10 Foothill with late barrage of 3-pointers

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ANAHEIM — The No. 10 spot in the Orange County girls basketball rankings remained a treacherous honor Friday.

Canyon’s 3-pointer shooters can have that type of effect, if they’re hot.

Guard Suwemi Conti made two of the Comanches’ three 3-pointers in the final 6 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter, including a dagger with 1:35 remaining, to help rally No. 29 Canyon past visiting No. 10 Foothill 51-45 in a Crestview League game.

The county could now see a fourth different team ranked No. 10 in as many weeks.

Foothill (15-7, 0-2) led by eight points early in the fourth quarter and didn’t trail until there was 3:40 left. But Canyon (15-7, 2-0) sprinted to the finish behind its 3-point shooters to defeat a team it lost to 56-26 earlier in the season.

“It’s amazing how resilient they are ” sixth-year Canyon coach Mark Lofink said of his team. “We’re going to run and we’re going to shoot 3s and they’re either going in or they don’t. It’s that simple.”

Canyon made 3 of 4 shots from beyond the arc in the fourth. Conti drilled a 3-pointer with 1:35 left to give Canyon a 47-43 lead. She finished with 13 points, including three 3-pointers.

Foothill answered with a basket off an inbounds play with about a minute left, but Canyon made its foul shots as the Knights were forced to foul.

Minna Yu made a pair of shots from the foul line with 16.9 seconds left and Mia Farrell sank two more with 8.5 seconds remaining. Yu finished with 16 points, including two 3-pointers.

“We weren’t shooting well in the first half — we were in our heads,” Conti said. “We got more confident in our shots in the second half. We do not stop shooting ever.”

Sophomore reserve Julianna Conklin sparked Canyon’s fourth-period surge by sinking the first 3-pointer. Conti followed with another 3-pointer and Foothill’s lead was cut to 39-37.

Conklin, a left-handed guard, converted a three-point play off a layup and foul to give Canyon its first lead 42-41.

“She has improved so much,” Lofink said of Conklin, who finished with eight points.

Canyon entered the game with 193 3-pointers on 678 attempts. The Comanches made 8 of 20 on Friday.

They also received one 3-pointer from Toni Ballestero and seven rebounds off the bench from Savannah Avalos.

The Comanches’ victory came three days after a rare victory for them against Brea Olinda.

Esperanza defeated Brea Olinda 69-67 in another Crestview League game Friday to improve to 2-0 in league.

Guard Megan Jones scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Forward Carly Hingst added 10 points. The Knights made their lone 3-pointer in the first quarter.

San Clemente basketball tops Mission Viejo in OT to grab second place in South Coast

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The San Clemente boys basketball team beat No. 7 Mission Viejo 68-64 in overtime Friday at San Clemente High to move into sole possession of second place in the South Coast League standings.

The Tritons (14-8, 3-1), ranked No. 24 in the county, entered Friday’s game tied with Mission Viejo for second place. San Clemente is behind first-place Capistrano Valley (3-0 in league) at the midway point of league play.

Matthew Herrod led San Clemente with 17 points. Jack Carroll scored 16 points and Max Rumph added 11.

Junior Ryan Goddard made two free throws near the end of overtime to extend San Clemente’s lead to four points.

The Tritons will host Dana Hills in a nonleague game Wednesday before resuming South Coast League play against Aliso Niguel on Friday, Jan. 24.

Mission Viejo (18-4, 2-2) has lost two of its last three games after a 10-game winning streak.

The Diablos play a nonleague game at El Toro on Wednesday before playing Trabuco Hills on Friday, Jan. 24. Mission Viejo beat Trabuco Hills 50-34 in its league opener.

Newport Harbor basketball beats Corona del Mar in overtime thriller

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  • Newport Harbor guard Levi Darrow, right, scrambles to recover a loose ball in front of Corona del Mar guard Jon Siegel, left, in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Corona del Mar guard Asher Hamilton, center, is denied a shot by Newport Harbor forward Robbie Spooner, left, and forward Luke Bashore, right, in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

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  • Corona del Mar guard Asher Hamilton, center, loses control of the ball as he tries to make move to the basket between Newport Harbor forward Robbie Spooner, left, and forward Luke Bashore in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Corona del Mar guard Jack Stone, left, drives around Newport Harbor guard Ryan Miller in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Newport Harbor forward Robbie Spooner, left, plays keep-away against Corona del Mar forward Buddy Cohen, right, with seconds left in the game in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Newport Harbor forward Robbie Spooner, forward Luke Bashore,guard Ryan Miller and Corona del Mar forward Buddy Cohen, from left, try to control a rebound late in the fourth quarter in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Newport Harbor guard Levi Darrow, right, takes a jump shot to score over Corona del Mar guard Cade Overfelt in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Newport Harbor forward Robbie Spooner (33) puts up a shot despite the defense of Corona del Mar center Scott Truninger in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Corona del Mar guard Jack Stone (23) is tied up by Newport Harbor guard Ryan Miller and forward Luke Bashore, left, in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Corona del Mar guard Jack Stone, left, gets by Newport Harbor forward Luke Bashore, left, to score a basket in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Newport Harbor guard Luke Barnes, right, loses control of the ball as he drives to the basket past Corona del Mar center Scott Truninger, left, in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Corona del Mar fans cheer their team as they take the lead late in the fourth quarter against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Newport Harbor fans go wild as their team takes the lead late in the fourth quarter against Corona del Mar in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Corona del Mar fans cheer after their team scored against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Newport Harbor coach Robert Torribio yells out instructions to his players against Corona del Mar in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Corona del Mar coach Ryan Schachter yells out a play during the game against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Corona del Mar fans yell at Newport Harbor players during the Surf League game in Newport Beach on Friday, January 17, 2020. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

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NEWPORT BEACH – It was what a rivalry game should be.

Newport Harbor beat Corona del Mar 58-55 in overtime Friday in a packed and loud gym at Corona del Mar High.

Newport Harbor junior guard Levi Darrow made two free throws with 20 seconds left in overtime to put the Sailors ahead 56-55, then made two free throws with four seconds remaining to make it 58-55.

A desperation 3-point try by the Sea Kings was short and that was the end of yet another superb game between the two schools that have played many great games against each other in many sports over many years.

“That was ridiculous,” Darrow said of the crazed atmosphere. “That’s the way we want it. Overtime thriller, I loved it.”

It was the opener for both in the four-team Surf League, one of two leagues in the eight-school Sunset Conference. (The Wave League is the conference’s other league.)

Newport Harbor, No. 14 in the Orange County top 25, is 19-4 overall. The Sailors have won eight in a row since a loss to Century in the first round of the Century Elks Classic on Dec. 26.

No. 17 Corona del Mar is 14-7.

Corona del Mar guard Jack Stone went into the game as Orange County’s leading scorer at 24.4 points a game. The 6-foot-2 senior scored 33 points Friday as he battled terrific defensive efforts by Newport Harbor’s Ryan Miller and Nicholas Silva and frequent double teams.

Stone possesses deep shooting range, has a quick first step to the basket and muscles his way up and through body contact when he gets to the basket.

Stone scored 20 of the Sea Kings’ 22 first-half points. He fouled out in the overtime period.

Darrow and Miller scored 12 points apiece for Newport Harbor. Luke Bashore, a 6-7 senior, had eight blocked shots for the Sailors.

Newport Harbor took a 43-36 into the fourth quarter. The Sailors quickly closed the gap with a 3-pointer by Efe Gucoglu and a driving layup by Stone to make it 43-41. Newport Harbor expanded its lead to eight points on a 3 by Robbie Spooner.

The Sea Kings rallied and finally tied the game 51-51 with 46 seconds left on two free throws by Gucoglu.

Stone’s 3-pointer in overtime and his free throw a minute later gave Newport Harbor a 55-53 advantage. Newport Harbor’s Silva made a free throw and Darrow then came through with his four free throws to get the Sailors the victory.

“Great neighborhood game,” said Newport Harbor coach Robert Torribio. “Stone’s a heck of a basketball player. He’s a hard guy to guard and he gave us fits all night.”

St. John Bosco tops Mater Dei basketball to earn share of first place

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BELLFLOWER >> The “just like football” chants began with about 20 seconds to go, and St. John Bosco’s fans rushed the court soon after as the Braves finished off a 70-62 upset of visiting Mater Dei to knot the Trinity League boys basketball race.

All five Bosco starters scored in double digits, with Jeremiah Nyarko scoring nine of his 14 points in the fourth quarter to hold off a Mater Dei rally led by returning All-CIF Southern Section guard Devin Askew.

The Braves (16-5 overall, 3-1 Trinity League), ranked 10th in CIF Southern Section Division 1, went ahead early, quickly pushed the lead to double digits and were in command the rest of the way. They made their shots and played superb defense to dominate the fifth-ranked Monarchs.

“It was a great win,” St. John Bosco coach Matt Dunn said after the celebration subsided. “I thought our guys played really well today. We’re fortunate when we play them. We believe we’re going to win, and I think that’s a huge piece of winning this thing.”

The result knocked Mater Dei (16-4, 3-1) out of sole possession of the league lead. No. 9 JSerra (17-4, 3-1), which beat the Braves by a point a week earlier on the same court, pulled into a three-way, first-place tie with a 66-49 triumph over Orange Lutheran on Friday.

Bosco overcame foul trouble, with four starters called for four fouls and Nyarko with three early in the second half, and the Monarchs (16-4, 3-1) outscored their host, 19-8, from the free-throw line.

Mater Dei had a tough time finding good looks at the basket and made just 17 of 50 field-goal attempts and just 7 of 25 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Askew, who is committed to Kentucky, scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, nine of them on 3-pointers, to trim a 13-point deficit to just four points. Bosco’s Isaiah Holm finished underneath with 26 seconds to go and Wynton Brown hit two free throws with 13.8 seconds left to secure the victory.

Holm hit four 3-pointers and matched Nyarko with 14 points, Josh Camper scored 10 of his 13 in the first half, and Lamaj Lewis and Brown finished with 11 apiece. Brown and Nyarko grabbed a game-best six rebounds.

Bosco made 16 of 25 first-half shots — 5 of 7 behind the arc — as it used a 9-0 run after Ryan Evans’ 3-pointer gave Mater Dei the lead at the start. The Monarchs pulled within three, but the Braves had an 18-10 advantage into the second quarter and led by at least seven until the final minute.

“We had a couple lulls in our offense where we didn’t score, and we didn’t get some stops when we should have,” said Mater Dei head coach Gary McKnight, whose team scored a season-low five points in the third quarter. “And defensively, we’ve got to play a lot better.”

Harrison Hornery scored 12 points for the Monarchs but made just one field goal, a 3-pointer that cut Bosco’s lead to 56-48 with 5:31 to go. He scored nine first-half points from the foul line.

Wilhelm Breidenbach, also an All-CIF selection last year, added 10 points.

USC women upset previously unbeaten No. 7 UCLA in double OT

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LOS ANGELES — The ball bounced between hands, a complete scramble for possession as the final buzzer sounded on a dramatic, 2½-hour battle.

UCLA’s walk with history was over, the last unbeaten team in the country handed its first loss.

Alyssa Pili converted a go-ahead three-point play with 27.8 seconds left in double overtime, and USC held on for a 70-68 victory over its seventh-ranked but short-handed crosstown rival on Friday night at the Galen Center.

The Bruins (16-1 overall, 5-1 Pac-12) had a 64-59 lead with 3:17 remaining in the second overtime before the Trojans (9-8, 1-5) rallied, going on a 10-2 run to close the game. Aliyah Juene gave the Trojans a 67-66 lead with 1:10 remaining with a steal and layup. Japreece Dean put UCLA back on top with a layup but Pili’s three-point play put USC in the lead for good. UCLA had a chance to tie, but Chantal Horvat missed a layup with two seconds left.

“It’s taken some time to put some things together, offensively and defensively,” USC assistant coach Aarika Hughes said. “Tonight we came together to push through two overtimes, which was a little bit more exciting than I think any of us were prepared for. But a win is a win, especially with our first in the Pac-12, and we’re pretty happy about it.”

Jeune paced USC with 27 points (six 3-pointers) and a career-high 13 rebounds for her first career double-double. Pili was just as strong, finishing with 19 points and a career-high 17 rebounds.

“Getting this big win meant a lot to us because we have been stressing in practice fixing things,” Pili said.

UCLA, which played without leading scorer Michaela Onyenwere, was led by Dean, a senior guard who scored a team-high 24 points and added 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Charisma Osborne added a career-high 20 points (18 after halftime).

“I just don’t think we deserved to win this game, even though we had plenty of opportunities,” said Dean, who was 9 for 26 from the field. “Now people know anybody can beat us and we’re not untouchable.”

The Bruins trailed 36-19 less than two minutes into the third quarter before storming back. Osborne keyed the surge with 11 points in the third quarter as UCLA went on a 16-2 run to get within three points just five minutes later.

USC held a 43-41 advantage at the end of the third quarter, but Osborne gave UCLA its first lead since late in the first with a 3-pointer 28 seconds into the fourth. The Bruins led 53-48 with 3:38 left in regulation before the Trojans scored five straight to tie. Kayla Overbeck’s free throws with 50.9 seconds remaining knotted the score at 53 and neither team could capitalize on a final possession, sending the game into its first overtime.

A Jeune 3-pointer with 19.7 seconds left and a pair of Caldwell free throws with 6.5 seconds left in the first overtime gave USC a 59-56 lead, but UCLA’s Natalie Chou forced double overtime with a 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer.

It didn’t take long for the Bruins, off to the best start in program history, to realize just how much of a difference the absence of Onyenwere (18.9 ppg) was going to make. The junior forward sprained her ankle during practice earlier in the week. Horvat took the junior’s place in the starting lineup and had nine points with 12 rebounds.

UCLA scored the game’s first six points, only to see USC lead 16-15 at the end of the first quarter. Dean made a pair of free throws to get the Bruins within 18-17 with 9:01 left in the second quarter, but those were their only points of the second quarter. The Trojans scored the final 12 points to take a 30-17 lead at halftime. Pili scored four points during the run while Desiree Caldwell and Jeune made back-to-back 3-pointers.

The first half was drastically different from the rivals’ first meeting on Dec. 29, when UCLA led by 11 at halftime and cruised to an 83-59 win at Pauley Pavilion.

“We were just trying to do way too much,” UCLA head coach Cori Close said. “The first time we played USC they were on a five-game winning streak, but we didn’t think they were playing very well. Not nearly as hard. This time they were on a five-game losing streak, and they were playing much better, much harder.”

The Bruins started this game just 7 for 36 from the field and went 14:36 between field goals (going 0 for 15 during the drought). On their second shot attempt of the third quarter, the Bruins finally made a field goal off an offensive rebound from Lauryn Miller to end their drought and begin their comeback.

The Bruins knew they had a target on their back being the last unbeaten, but Osborne said the pressure was no different from what they typically face.

“We knew it was there, but it wasn’t too much pressure. We have to go out every night and fight,” she said.

Close, whose team shot 29.9 percent from the field (26 for 87) and went 8 for 32 from beyond the arc, said the difference ended up being the Trojans getting the ball to their key players when it mattered most.

“They came out with great energy and did a good job competing,” she said. “I’m really proud of the fight we showed coming back but it stings.

“I always say, the pain of where you are has to be greater than the pain that it will take to change. It’s hard to change, it’s hard to grow, and this one is pretty painful right now, so I have a lot of confidence that you’re going to see a lot of change.”

The Bruins next face Washington (10-6, 2-3) on Friday (Jan. 24) at 7 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion. USC next hosts Washington State (9-8, 2-3) the same night, also at 7 p.m.

News services contributed to this story.


USC women’s basketball battles through injuries to knock off No. 7 UCLA

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LOS ANGELES — The USC women’s basketball team could have folded after seeing its once-17-point lead evaporate over the course of the third quarter. Or when facing a five-point deficit with 3:38 left in regulation. Or when UCLA’s Natalie Chou hit a 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer to send the game to a second overtime.

Instead, Aliyah Jeune came up with a steal and breakaway layup to give the Trojans a one-point lead with 1:10 left in double overtime. When No. 7 UCLA answered with a layup of its own, USC forward Alissa Pili came up with a three-point play to give the Trojans a two-point advantage.

And the USC defense came up with one last stop to hold on for the 70-68 double-overtime win over the Bruins.

Gone was USC’s 0-5 start to Pac-12 play. Gone was UCLA’s undefeated start to the season.

“Especially coming off of losing five games in a row and getting this big win, I think it meant a lot to us and the coaches,” said the freshman Pili, who finished with 19 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. “We’ve been so close to getting wins, and we finally came out with the win today.”

It cost the Trojans (9-8 overall, 1-5 Pac-12) every ounce of effort they could muster.

Jeune left briefly in the second half with a cramp in her right calf. When she jumped in the air to celebrate with her teammates at the final buzzer, she fell back to the court as the cramp flared up again.

Still, she came up with a game-high 27 points and a career-high 13 rebounds for her first career double-double. Jeune made a go-ahead 3-pointer (one of her six) with 19.7 seconds left in the first overtime after a mad struggle for the ball in the paint. Each time there was a break in the action, she limped around the court.

But as soon as the whistle blew, she was back sprinting up and down the court, leaping for rebounds.

“My teammates motivate me a lot. A lot of things I do is for my team,” Jeune said, holding the game ball in her lap. “I just go hard for them. I don’t care if I’m hurting.”

USC lost to UCLA by 24 when the two rivals played in December. Just keeping this game close would have been an achievement, let alone getting a win.

But USC built a double-digit first-half lead on the strength of its defense.

The Trojans held UCLA (16-1, 5-1) without a field goal in the second quarter. The Bruins missed all 15 of their attempts from the floor, a pair of free throws from Japreece Dean providing UCLA’s only points of the quarter.

Sure, UCLA was without leading scorer Michaela Onyenwere (18.9 ppg), sidelined with an ankle sprain.

But to see the Bruins, the last undefeated team in the country, take 14:35 of game time to make a basket was a testament to USC’s defense, which made tough, clean contests at the basket to deny easy looks.

It was just one more thing for USC to celebrate as it got into a water-bottle fight in the post-game locker room.

“Just wanted to beat them so bad,” said Jeune, a senior transfer from Morehead State. “We’ve been preparing for this game since we lost, really.”

That preparation paid off, and Jeune walked away from the podium, the game ball in her arms the only evidence she needed.

NAMM 2020: See photos of Yamaha’s All-Star concert, stars, a drum circle and more from the show’s second day

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The second day of the National Association of Music Merchants Show at the Anaheim Convention Center was packed with performances, panels, fresh gear and more.

Among the highlights was the Yamaha All-Star Concert, hosted by Sinbad, which featured performances from Earth, Wind and Fire and Kenny Loggins.

At the Anaheim Hilton, Grammy-nominated producer Finneas O’Connell spoke to a standing-room-only crowd about working with sister Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez and John Legend, among other topics.

And producer Ken Caillat shared the inside track on the tracks of Fleetwood Mac’s “Tusk” and “Rumours” albums.

On the floor, stars such as Jesse Hughes from Eagles of Death Metal snapped photos with fans on the floor of the show. And did we mention there was a  drum circle?

ICYMI, Dave Grohl cooked up some barbecue on Thursday for friends and fans at the Dimebash concert in honor of late Pantera guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell.

(Want more? Check out these photos show you what happened opening day, Thursday, Jan. 16.)

  • Sinbad speaks onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Guests attend The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

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  • Kenny Loggins performs onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Kenny Loggins performs onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Verdine White, Philip Bailey and Ralph Johnson of Earth, Wind & Fire performs onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire performs onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • A guest attends The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Jesse Hughes of Eagles of Death Metal greets fans at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Jesse Hughes of Eagles of Death Metal greets fans at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Guests partake in a drum circle at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Guests partake in a drum circle at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Guests partake in a drum circle at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Ukuleles on display at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Verbalase performs onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Laura Escudé performs onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Guests attend The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Mike Einziger speaks at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Mike Einziger and guitarists perform onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Finneas O’Connell speaks onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Neal Preston signs autographs at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Gear on display at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Lisset Díaz of Sweet Lizzy Project performs onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Gear on display at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Young Guru speaks onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Verdine White attends The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Guests attend The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Guests attend The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • A guest attends The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Guests attend The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM)

  • Dave Pensado, Herb Trawick, Alex Tumay, Louis Bell and Finneas O’Connell speak onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for NAMM)

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Edison basketball enjoys a rare road victory against rival Los Alamitos

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LOS ALAMITOS — For a visiting team to come into the Los Alamitos High School gym and leave with a victory, a near-perfect effort is required.

A near-perfect effort is exactly what Edison boys basketball coach Rich Boyce got from his Chargers, who came away with a 67-58 victory over the Griffins on Friday.

The contest was the Surf League opener for both teams.

The Chargers (14-9, 1-0) hit nine 3-pointers, passed well, were 11 of 16 from the free throw line and limited the opportunities for the Griffins’ top scorers.

“I’ve been a coach at Edison nearly 20 years,” Boyce said, “and I can probably count on one hand without the thumb how many times I’ve won here. It’s a tough place to play. The fans are fantastic and Eddie (Courtemarche) is an unbelievable coach. It’s a good win for our program.”

The first half was competitive, with each team stealing the momentum back from the other.

The Griffins were ahead 13-8 late in the first quarter, when the Chargers went on a 14-2 run that extended into the second quarter.

In the middle of that run, Edison’s Trey Wilborn hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from close to half-court to end the first quarter.

Kevin Kent’s steal and layup kicked off an 8-0 run for the Griffins (14-8, 0-1), who had a 23-22 lead before Edison closed out the half on a 6-2 run.

In the third quarter, 3-pointers from Connor Collins and Luke Serven on consecutive possessions gave the Chargers a 36-27 lead.

The Griffins never got closer than three points the rest of the game and trailed by double digits for most of the fourth quarter.

“They just kicked our rear ends up and down,” said Courtemarche, Los Alamitos’ coach. “Anytime we got a little daylight, we ended up beating ourselves and then they beat us to everything. The little plays … the hustle … They were more confident and aggressive. We didn’t play with a whole lot of passion for a rivalry game.”

The Griffins-Chargers rivalry reached a new level of intensity last season when the teams played three league games against each other. The final game was a tiebreaker to determine first place going into the playoffs.

The Chargers lost the first two contests but won the tiebreaker to capture the Surf League title.

Friday’s basketball highlights: Servite gets first Trinity League victory since 2017; Tustin wins in OT

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A roundup of the Orange County boys basketball highlights on Friday:

Servite won its first Trinity League game since 2017 by beating Santa Margarita 45-44 on Friday at Servite High.

The win snapped a 21-game league losing streak for the Friars and was the first time Servite (15-6, 1-3) has beaten Santa Margarita since 2013.

Sophomore Tajavis Miller led the Friars with 15 points. Kunal Bagga and Andrew Cook scored 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Santa Margarita (9-10, 1-3) is in a three-way tie with Servite and Orange Lutheran for fourth place in the Trinity League.

The Eagles on Wednesday play at St. John Bosco, which is tied for first place with Mater Dei and JSera.

Servite will play Buena of Ventura in Coach Mike’s Long Shot Challenge on Monday at Corona del Mar High. The Friars resume Trinity League play on Wednesday when they host Orange Lutheran.

In other games Friday:

Dana Hills 46, No. 18 El Toro 41: Dana Hills went on a late run to beat El Toro in an important Sea View League game at El Toro High.

The game was tied with just over two minutes remaining when the Dolphins went on a 6-1 run to grab the victory.

Grayson Holtby scored 16 points to lead Dana Hills (15-6, 2-2) and Miles Ettinger added 15.

The Dolphins are 2-2 at the midway point of league play and sit in third place behind undefeated Tesoro and San Juan Hills. El Toro (12-8, 1-3) is in fourth place.

St. Margaret’s 64, Sage Hill 37: St. Margaret’s routed Sage Hill in an Academy League game at St. Margaret’s to give coach Chris Nordstrom career win No. 300.

Nordstrom is in his first season as St. Margaret’s coach after a successful tenure at Orange Lutheran.

“It’s an awesome feeling to get to this point,” Nordstrom said. “A lot of it is tenure, it has taken a bit of time, but it is really a reflection of the great players, coaches and family that have helped me get here.”

St. Margaret’s (14-6, 3-0) went on a 12-0 run to open the game and never looked back. Will Kenner led the Tartans with 19 points. Charlie Wohlgemuth scored 15 and Anthony Constantino added 10.

The Tartans now have sole possession of first place in the Academy League. Sage Hill (8-13, 3-1) was previously unbeaten in league play.

Tustin 47, Pacifica 41 (OT): Tustin rallied to beat Pacifica in overtime to pick up a crucial Empire League win at Pacifica High.

Tustin (15-7, 2-2) was led by Jason Naranjo, who had 19 points. Kyan Patel scored 14 points and Benjamin Ahinaquah added eight points and 15 rebounds.

Patel made a 3-pointer with 13 seconds remaining in overtime to put the game out of reach for the Mariners.

Brandon Bui made a layup for Pacifica (13-9, 1-3) with three seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime.

Tustin is tied with Valencia for third place in the Empire League standings.

No. 25 Aliso Niguel 62, San Juan Hills 54: Aliso Niguel snapped a three-game losing streak by beating San Juan Hills in a nonleague game at San Juan Hills High.

The Wolverines are 8-0 against San Juan Hills.

Sophomore Tyler Weaver led Aliso Niguel (12-10) with 16 points. Jacob Morris and Nick Steiert each scored 12 points.

Adam Weingard led San Juan Hills (9-12) with 14 points.

San Juan Hills is tied for first place with Tesoro in the Sea View League standings. The Stallions host Tesoro on Wednesday.

– Michael Huntley

Estancia 103, Orange 62: Estancia (19-3, 4-0) scored a season-high in points with the help of 19 3-pointers as it routed Orange to stay unbeaten in the Orange Coast League.

Cameron Khoury came off the bench to lead the Eagles with 31 points and made 10 3-pointers. Brandon Pearson had 14 points and Frankie DeBraum added 10 points.

No. 3 Capistrano Valley 52, No. 19 Trabuco Hills 46: Capistrano Valley went on a 6-0 run in the final 1:30 of the game to get past Trabuco Hills in a South Coast League game at Capistrano Valley High.

Conner Gleason had 20 points for the Cougars (19-1, 3-0) and Brody Sumner scored 15 points while hitting four 3-pointers.

Aryan Talle had a game-high 21 points for Trabuco Hills (13-9, 1-3) and Tyler Woods finished with 11 points.

No. 2 JSerra 66, Orange Lutheran 49: JSerra (18-3, 3-1) had three players score in double-figures in the Trinity League victory over Orange Lutheran (13-6, 1-3) at JSerra High.

Ian Martinez led the Lions with 16 points, including three 3-pointers, while Justin Williams scored 14 points and Hugo Clarkin added 10 points. David Hornung chipped in with nine points by shooting 3-for-4 on 3-point attempts.

No. 14 Laguna Beach 55, Marina 48: Nolan Naess scored 15 points to lead Laguna Beach to a win in its Wave League opener.

Laguna Beach (14-7, 1-0) also received contributions from Jackson Sirianni, who had 10 points, and Lucas Kravitz, who added eight points.

– David Delgado

Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball holds off Long Beach State

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  • Davon Clare #5 of the Cal State Fullerton Titans drives to the basket against Romelle Mansel #13 of the Long Beach State 49ers in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Michael Carter III #1 of the Long Beach State 49ers reacts after a foul against Cal State Fullerton Titans in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

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  • Chance Hunter #31 of the Long Beach State 49ers fights for the loose ball against Brandon Kamga #1 of the Cal State Fullerton Titans in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Joshua Morgan #24 of the Long Beach State 49ers reacts as Cal State Fullerton Titans takes the lead in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Brandon Kamga #1 of the Cal State Fullerton Titans drives to the basket against Long Beach State 49ers in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Head coach Dan Monson speaks with Michael Carter III #1 of the Long Beach State 49ers in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Brandon Kamga #1 of the Cal State Fullerton Titans drives to the basket against Long Beach State 49ers in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Jackson Rowe #34 of the Cal State Fullerton Titans controls the ball against Long Beach State 49ers in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Vincent Lee #13 of the Cal State Fullerton Titans is treated for a cut below his eye against Long Beach State 49ers in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Michael Carter III #1 of the Long Beach State 49ers waits to enter the game against Cal State Fullerton Titans in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Michael Carter III #1 of the Long Beach State 49ers drives to the basket against Cal State Fullerton Titans in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Chance Hunter #31 of the Long Beach State 49ers shoots a free-throw against Cal State Fullerton Titans in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Trever Irish #32 of the Long Beach State 49ers fights for the rebound against Davon Clare #5 of the Cal State Fullerton Titans in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Head coach Dedrique Taylor of the Cal State Fullerton Titans reacts against Long Beach State 49ers in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Cal State Fullerton Titans bench reacts after Jackson Rowe #34 of the Cal State Fullerton Titans hits a three pointer against Long Beach State 49ers in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Joshua Morgan #24 of the Long Beach State 49ers rebounds past Cameron Carter #35 of the Cal State Fullerton Titans in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Cal State Fullerton Titans reacts after a three pointer against Long Beach State 49ers in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Chance Hunter #31 of the Long Beach State 49ers drives to the basket against Brandon Kamga #1 of the Cal State Fullerton Titans in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Chance Hunter #31 of the Long Beach State 49ers reacts after a foul against Cal State Fullerton Titans in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Drew Cobb #3 of the Long Beach State 49ers drives to the basket against Davon Clare #5 of the Cal State Fullerton Titans in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Head coach Dan Monson of the Long Beach State 49ers reacts against Cal State Fullerton Titans in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Michael Carter III #1 of the Long Beach State 49ers drives to the basket against Cal State Fullerton Titans in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Long Beach State 49ers fans hold a banner up for a photo against Cal State Fullerton Titans in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Josh Pitts #24 of the Cal State Fullerton Titans controls the ball against Long Beach State 49ers in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Jordan Roberts #2 of the Long Beach State 49ers drivers to the basket against Cal State Fullerton Titans in the first half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Basketball fans of all ages look on in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game between the Long Beach State 49ers and the Cal State Fullerton Titans at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

  • Basketball fans of all ages look on in the second half of a Big West Conference men’s basketball game between the Long Beach State 49ers and the Cal State Fullerton Titans at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach in Long Beach on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Cal State Fullerton Titans won 66-62. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

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LONG BEACH — Nip-and-tuck basketball games are typically decided by one or two crucial plays down the stretch. That was the case Saturday when Cal State Fullerton traveled to rival Long Beach State for a Big West Conference game.

With the score tied, the Titans’ Brandon Kamga stole the ball from Long Beach’s Colin Slater. As Kamga was about to go up for a layup on the other end, he was pushed from behind by Chance Hunter. A flagrant 1 foul was called on Hunter. Kamga made both free throws with 33.2 seconds to play and, having retained possession because of the foul, Wayne Arnold made two more with 17.7 seconds remaining and Fullerton emerged with a 66-62 victory in front of 2,179 at LBSU’s Walter Pyramid.

The score was tied 60-60 at the time of Hunter’s foul on Kamga. Slater made two free throws to get Long Beach within 64-62 with 12.9 seconds to play, but CSF’s Davon Clare responded with two of his own a couple of seconds later.

It was a big victory for the Titans (6-13 overall, 1-3 Big West), who were on the losing end of their first three conference games. No one was more pleased than forward Jackson Rowe, the team’s best player who fouled out with 2:36 to play.

“Yeah, I think it was great because it wasn’t just me out there that was excited, it was the whole team that was excited for those guys,” said Rowe, who finished with 16 points, five rebounds, two steals and a block; he did have five of the team’s 16 turnovers. “You want to see that as a team. Especially with me and Austen (Awosika) leading the team, you want to see the other guys as bought in and committed as we are.”

Rowe did not downplay the significance of the victory that came on the heels of losses by six, six and 13 points in the team’s first three conference games.

“It’s a big momentum-changer, for sure,” he said. “Now we have the confidence in ourselves to know we can win those kinds of games.”

Kamga was asked how stunned he was to get pushed from behind by Hunter in that situation.

“I mean, we were just playing basketball and he tried to make a play,” said Kamga, who had 16 points and eight rebounds. “It is what it is.”

Clare had a team-high 17 points and added seven rebounds for Fullerton.

Slater led Long Beach (6-14, 1-3) with 19 points, Hunter scored 16 and Michael Carter III had 12. Joshua Morgan had a whopping school-record eight blocked shots to go with seven rebounds and five points. Terrance O’Kelley of the 1994-95 team held the previous record (seven).

Fullerton shot 38.2 percent overall, and Long Beach shot 37.5 percent.

LBSU coach Dan Monson was disappointed during his post-game news conference. Asked about Hunter’s flagrant foul on Kamga, he did not rip his sophomore guard.

“I thought he made a great play to hustle down there and try to make a play,” Monson said. “He was going to try to block it and I thought he had a chance at that. I don’t know if he got off-balance or what happened, but he made a mistake.”

Long Beach had just five assists and 23 turnovers, so Monson made sure to note there were other reasons why his team fell short.

“There’s plenty of those mistakes that went around, it didn’t have to come down to that mistake,” he said. “But there is no question that is an intentional foul, the way he got him from behind.”

The assists-to-turnover ratio for this game suggests Long Beach is pressing, but Slater downplayed that notion.

“We’re trying to do the right things,” he said. “I don’t think anybody truly in our hearts – and me being in the locker room with the guys – they don’t feel like, ‘OK, I have to do this by myself.’

“We’re all truly just trying to do what’s best for the team. These things happen. You’re going to make mistakes, they’re just magnified because we’re playing basketball.”

Long Beach got off to a quick start and led 7-1 and 19-8 after Hunter banked in a 3-pointer. But the Titans embarked on a 19-3 run that began with a floater by Awosika and culminated with a 3-point basket by Kamga for a 27-22 Titans lead with 4:32 left in the half.

LBSU’s Joshua Morgan ended the spell by making three of four free-throw attempts on back-to-back possessions to cut that deficit to 27-25.

With Fullerton’s lead still at two points, the Titans got five consecutive points from Kamga on a 16-footer and a 3-pointer for a 34-27 lead.

Undaunted, Long Beach scored the final five points of the half on a 3-pointer from Drew Cobb and a dribble-drive and layup high off the glass from Slater to get within 34-32 at the break.

Rowe led Fullerton with 13 first-half points, nine coming on 3-pointers. Kamga had 12.

Hunter led Long Beach with 12 points in the half and Slater scored nine.

UP NEXT

Long Beach State hosts UC Irvine on Wednesday.

Cal State Fullerton faces UC Davis on the road on Wednesday.

Elijah Weaver carries USC basketball to wild overtime win over Stanford

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  • Southern California guard Elijah Weaver celebrates after making a 3-point shot to force overtime in the team’s NCAA college basketball game against Stanford in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. Southern California won 82-78. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

  • Southern California guard Elijah Weaver celebrates after USC defeated Stanford 82-78 in overtime in an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

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  • Southern California guard Ethan Anderson falls to the court after being fouled by Stanford guard Tyrell Terry during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

  • Southern California guard Elijah Weaver, right, shoots the game-tying 3-point shot to force overtime while Stanford guard Tyrell Terry defends during an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. Southern California won 82-78. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

  • Stanford forward Oscar da Silva, left, loses the ball on a shot while Southern California guard Ethan Anderson defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. Southern California won 82-78 in overtime. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

  • Stanford guard Tyrell Terry, center, attempts to move the ball past Southern California forward Nick Rakocevic, left, off a screen by Bryce Wills during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. Southern California won 82-78 in overtime. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

  • Southern California guard Elijah Weaver celebrates after making a 3-point shot to send the NCAA college basketball game against Stanford into overtime in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. Southern California won 82-78. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

  • Stanford forward Oscar da Silva drives to the basket while Southern California guard Jonah Mathews defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. Southern California won 82-78 in overtime. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

  • Southern California guard Jonah Mathews, right, hits the ball out of the hands of Stanford guard Tyrell Terry during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. Southern California won 82-78 in overtime. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

  • Stanford guard Tyrell Terry, center, goes up for a shot while Southern California forwards Isaiah Mobley, left, and Nick Rakocevic defend during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. Southern California won 82-78 in overtime. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

  • Stanford guard Daniel Begovich, right, blocks a shot by Stanford guard Daejon Davis during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. Southern California won 82-78 in overtime. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

  • Southern California guard Elijah Weaver celebrates with a fan after USC defeated Stanford 82-78 in overtime in an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

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LOS ANGELES — He was the hero that got USC to overtime. So it was only fitting that Elijah Weaver would deliver the winning moments of the Trojans’ wild, come-from behind, 82-78 victory over Stanford on Saturday.

Weaver hit the 3-pointer that tied the game in regulation, after USC trailed by as much as 20. Waver scored on the three-point play that gave USC (15-3, 4-1 in Pac-12 play) a one-point lead in overtime, the first Trojan lead since the first half. Weaver made three made free throws to extend that lead two possessions. Weaver also scored the driving, reverse layup to get the lead back up to four with 14 seconds to play.

“It’s just time to win. It’s just time to be clutch,” the sophomore said jovially in the post-game press conference. “You got to make big plays in big games.”

But you need to rewind for a moment, because USC was so close to losing in the final moments of regulation.

A layup by Stanford’s Lukas Kisunas gave Stanford a five-point lead with 33 seconds to play. Jonah Mathews missed a 3-pointer and the ball went out of bounds before USC could grab the rebound.

Stanford ball, 13 seconds left, USC still down five.

But Stanford forward Oscar da Silva’s in-bounds pass was intercepted by Ethan Anderson, who passed back to Mathews. His shot missed, but USC forward Onyeka Okongwu, who had a game-high 22 points, tipped the ball back in to cut the deficit to three.

Mathews was briefly attended to on the bench after face planting into the court. But he came back in and delivered the biggest steal of USC’s season.

Mathews leaped in midair to steal the in-bounds pass at mid-court. He dribbled once and passed to Weaver.

The guard, who’d recently been relegated to the bench, dribbled to his right and leaned into the Stanford defense as he wound up for a 3-pointer. The whistle blew as the shot sailed through the net. Tie game, and a free throw to boot, with 7.3 seconds to play.

Weaver stormed up the court to celebrate in front of the student section, flexing as his teammates hugged him from behind. The crowd of 5,017, which had lived and died with nearly every shot of the second half, roared in delirium.

“That’s what it’s all about, big-time crowd, big-time game,” said Weaver, who finished with a season-high 13 points.

But he missed the potential go-ahead free throw, and Stanford’s shot at the buzzer was off.

It was on to overtime.

But Weaver got his chance for redemption on the free-throw line. He made four free throws in overtime, including a three-point play that gave USC a one-point lead, its first advantage since it was up 10-7 in the first half.

“Very proud of Elijah,” USC head coach Andy Enfield said. “Wow, was he good late in the game tonight.”

If you only watched the first half, the probability of this outcome seemed low.

Stanford looked like it would run away with the game, taking advantage of a period of 7:52 in which USC missed 12 straight field goals to build up a double-digit advantage. A 30-foot 3-pointer by Tyrell Terry at the buzzer made it a 20-point deficit at the half for the Trojans.

USC played poorly in every aspect of the game, and Enfield said that he nearly passed out while tearing into his players in the locker room.

But whatever he said worked, as USC came out on a 15-3 run to get back into the game.

Stanford (15-3, 4-1) entered the game undefeated in conference play. Now, USC is tied with the Cardinal atop the Pac-12 standings.

“This is big,” Weaver said.

And no one played a bigger part in it than Weaver.

Alexander: Two’s a crowd at top of the leaderboard at La Quinta

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LA QUINTA — Scottie Scheffler and Andrew Landry have a shot at continuing a trend Sunday.

They are co-leaders after three rounds of The American Express at 21-under-par, routine for this birdiefest in the desert. Scheffler, who shared the lead with Rickie Fowler going into Saturday’s round, shot a 6-under 66 on the Stadium Course – including one very fortunate bounce which we’ll get to – and Landry caught him with a 7-under 65 at the Nicklaus Tournament Course, including birdies on four of the last five holes.

Scheffler, 23, who played his college golf at Texas and turned pro in 2018, is a PGA Tour rookie looking for his first tournament win. Landry, 32, a fellow Texan who graduated from Arkansas, turned pro in 2009, went from the big tour to the Korn Ferry feeder tour in 2017 and re-earned his PGA Tour card in 2018. He has won one Tour event, the 2018 Valero Texas Open.

Maybe it’s the time of year, or the nature of this tournament, but the event that carried Bob Hope’s name for so many years has been very good to new winners over the last decade. Of the last 10 tournaments dating back to 2010, four have been won by first-time winners: Bill Haas in 2010 (he repeated in 2015), Jhonattan Vegas in 2011, Hudson Swafford in 2017 and Adam Long last year, when he outdueled Adam Hadwin and Phil Mickelson down the stretch.

There have also been two second-time winners in that span: Patrick Reed in 2014 (he’d win a Masters four years later) and Jon Rahm in 2018, coincidentally in a four-hole playoff with Landry.

So what does this say for Scheffler and Landry, who will enter Sunday with a 4-shot lead over Rickie Fowler?

“I think winning is pretty similar at all levels of the game, and I feel like I’ve done a good job of closing tournaments out,” said Scheffler, who won twice on the Korn Ferry tour last year and rallied from 7 shots down to force a playoff on a third occasion.

“I think this is my best chance (on this tour), being tied for the lead going into the last round. I’ve gotten off to some good starts but I haven’t been in this position going into the final round. I feel like I’ve been chasing. So it will be nice to be up there near the lead.”

Landry was 30 when he finally won at San Antonio, in his 32nd Tour event. He began the final round tied with Zach Johnson, birdied his first three holes and benefited from some shakiness by Sean O’Hair and Trey Mullinax, who each finished 2 shots back.

This was, incidentally, three months after Landry forced a playoff with Rahm here by sinking an 11-footer on 18. Rahm, then the No. 3 player in the world, survived a duel of missed putts in that four-hole playoff, with Landry missing an 11-footer wide right on 18 to end it as darkness was encroaching.

“It sounds cliché, but you just gotta literally go out and just do what you do and stick to your game plan,” Landry said. “There’s going to be some crowds out there. There’s going to be some media popping up whenever you don’t want them to. But (tour veteran Steve) Elkington helped me out when I won Valero with the same deal. He was like, ‘Hey, look, these things are gonna happen.’ So just be aware of it and don’t let it get to you.

“And sure enough, it did. And it kind of got to Mullinax a little bit. It got to Zach on the fourth, fifth, sixth holes (he finished 4 shots back). … You’ve just got to continue to stay focused and not let it get to you.”

A dollop of luck doesn’t hurt, either. Scheffler got his on the 18th Saturday, when his 3-wood off the tee didn’t quite make it all the way over the water … but hit the rocks and took a huge bounce right into the middle of the fairway, en route to a par.

His first thought when he saw where it was headed?

“Oh, I hope that crossed,” he said with a laugh. “I’m not sure if it did. I’m glad we didn’t have to figure that out. But yeah, it was a great bounce. Worst swing of the day ended up with a par, so I feel pretty good about it.”

Scheffler has had a good season so far, with three top 10 finishes in the fall events. Landry expressed frustration over his performance so far, with one top 25 finish and seven missed cuts in eight events.

But this shouldn’t be considered an accident. The desert, he said, suits him.

“You look at guys like Tiger Woods, they’re playing a limited schedule for a reason,” Landry said. “Tiger Woods isn’t going to show up at the RBC Heritage (on a links course in Hilton Head, S.C.), because that golf course does not fit him. That’s kind of what we do as players, we build our schedule around golf courses that fit us.

“This is one of them that fits me. I enjoy coming out here. The weather’s perfect. You can’t get a better atmosphere and a better town, and it’s just a great spot. I’d love to have a house out here one day just for a winter home, but my wife would probably kill me.”

If he wins Sunday, she might reconsider.


NFLPA Bowl: Arkansas State’s Omar Bayless continues to impress

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  • WR Omar Bayless of Arkansas State (Photo courtesy of Kevin Koski / NFLPA)

  • WR Omar Bayless of Arkansas State (Photo courtesy of Kevin Koski / NFLPA)

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  • Linebacker Krys Barnes of UCLA (Photo courtesy of Kevin Koski / NFLPA)

  • Kicker JJ Molson of UCLA (Photo courtesy of Kevin Koski / NFLPA)

  • Linebacker Krys Barnes of UCLA (Photo courtesy of Kevin Koski / NFLPA)

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PASADENA >> Give Arkansas State wide receiver Omar Bayless an opportunity with the football and he will make the most of it.

As a receiver for the American Team, he caught the first touchdown in the opening quarter of the NFL Player Association Collegiate Bowl on a 3-yard pass from Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke. The National Team defeated the American Team 30-20 at the Rose Bowl.

His name may not be familiar to most college football fans but could be considered one of the nation’s best.

Bayless finished his senior season setting both Arkansas State and Sun Belt single-season records for touchdowns (17) and receiving yards (1,653).  He also finished second in the nation in receiving yards and third in the nation for receiving touchdowns.

Ja’Marr Chase of LSU jumped ahead of Bayless for the top spot on Monday with his 221 yard performance in the national championship game.

“It was a great race between him and I all season with those yards,” Bayless said. “He is a great player.”

A number of personal tragedies nearly kept Bayless off the field and having the successful season that he did.

In 2018, his best friend was shot and killed. His uncle and cousin died of unrelated medical issues within a few weeks of each other.

“It inspired me a lot and gave me that extra drive to get up every day and get better,” the receiver said. “Everything happens for a reason and I’m doing what I am doing for those people that I loss.”

Following his junior season, the receiver considered not coming back but his bond with Arkansas State coach Blake Anderson and his family that brought Bayless back to campus.

In his final game with the Red Wolves, he caught nine passes for 180 receiving yards and a touchdown against FIU. Bayless was named the game’s MVP and set the bowl record for most receiving and all-purpose yards.

Bayless has the potential to be a late-round pick for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Conor McGregor blasts Cerrone in 40 seconds in UFC return

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LAS VEGAS — Conor McGregor stopped Donald Cerrone with a head kick and punches 40 seconds into the first round at UFC 246 on Saturday night, announcing his return to mixed martial arts with his first victory since 2016.

The Irish former two-division champion returned from a three-year stretch of inactivity and outside-the-cage troubles with a performance that echoed his greatest fights during his unparalleled rise.

McGregor (22-4) floored Cerrone (36-14) only 20 seconds into the bout with a perfectly placed left kick to the head, and he mercilessly finished on the ground to the delight of a sellout crowd at T-Mobile Arena.

McGregor’s hand hadn’t been raised in victory since November 2016, when he stopped lightweight Eddie Alvarez to become the first fighter in UFC history to hold two championship belts simultaneously. With his fame and fortune multiplying, McGregor fought only his boxing match with Floyd Mayweather in 2017, and he lost a one-sided UFC bout to lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in late 2018.

After a year of inactivity and trouble outside the cage, McGregor vowed to return to elite form in this bout against a fellow UFC veteran and stoppage specialist. This dramatic victory over Cerrone indicated he’s on his way, and McGregor has vowed to fight multiple times in 2020.

Cerrone is the winningest fighter in UFC history with 23 victories, a mark that reflects both his durability and commitment to an uncommonly busy schedule. Cerrone, who also holds the UFC record with 16 stoppage wins, had fought a whopping 11 times since McGregor’s win over Alvarez, and he was in the cage for the 15th time since he lost his only UFC title shot in December 2015.

But Cerrone’s last two fights were stopped when he took too much damage, and he couldn’t block McGregor’s decisive kick or recover from the punishment on the ground.

McGregor believes he can recapture the fearsome form he showed during his meteoric rise to unprecedented MMA success. He won 15 consecutive fights during a five-year run from low-profile shows in Dublin to the world’s biggest MMA events, stopping five straight elite UFC opponents with punches on the way up.

McGregor walked to the cage with the Irish flag wrapped around his shoulders. The bearded fighters touched gloves beforehand in an extension of this bout’s unfailing sportsmanship — not always a hallmark of McGregor’s previous bouts.

After the referee stopped the bout, McGregor peeled away briefly to celebrate, but quickly returned to comfort his disoriented opponent. When Cerrone’s grandmother, Jerry, entered the cage after the fight to hug her grandson, McGregor also hugged Jerry and got a kiss on the cheek.

Even after his prolonged absence — or maybe because of it — McGregor’s return is expected to be a huge seller on pay-per-view. An eager sellout Vegas crowd showed up in person, with celebrities including Matthew McConaughey, Jeremy Renner and Dave Bautista, along with NFL stars Tom Brady, Christian McCaffrey, Baker Mayfield, Myles Garrett and Jon Gruden.

Former bantamweight champion Holly Holm beat Raquel Pennington by unanimous decision in the penultimate bout of UFC 246. The 38-year-old Holm (13-5) had lost five of her seven fights since she memorably knocked out Ronda Rousey in November 2015.

On the undercard, 37-year-old flyweight Roxanne Modafferi pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent UFC history with a one-sided decision victory over previously unbeaten 21-year-old Maycee Barber, the UFC’s top 125-pound prospect.

Barber (8-1) injured her left knee during the bout, but Modafferi (24-16) was already dominating with the superior jiu-jitsu she has been practicing for Barber’s entire life. Modafferi was the biggest betting underdog on the UFC 246 card, facing 10-to-1 odds at some sports books.

Aleksei Oleinik, a 42-year-old heavyweight who made his pro debut in 1996, also beat Maurice Greene by submission in the second round.

Whicker: San Diego State basketball is 19-0 and not afraid of heights

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SAN DIEGO — The moles get whacked, the tall poppies get cut off, and the No. 1 teams in college basketball fall off the mountain, nearly every week.

San Diego State walks bravely toward the sun.

The Aztecs are 19-0. Nobody else in the game is unbeaten. But nobody, among the 12,414 in Viejas Arena on Saturday, chanted “We’re No. 1” on Saturday or anything close to it.

A No. 1 seed, perhaps? San Diego State will take that, but right now the Aztecs are putting themselves on that perilous tightrope. The process of elimination is eliminating just about everybody but them.

“You look up and numbers 3 and 4 and 5 got beat this week,” coach Brian Dutcher said. “They’re just numbers. If you don’t watch out the next game could be a disaster. A team make shots, you don’t play well, and you’ll lose, maybe twice if the next one is on the road.

“We’re fortunate to be where we’re at. But we’re not naive enough to think that we don’t play well or prepare well, it won’t happen to us.”

Still, it’s hard to make the case that San Diego State shouldn’t be this week’s chart-topper, which would mean a lot more at this school,  and in this sports-deprived city, than in most places.

On Saturday they hit Nevada with a 20-0 run, held Steve Alford’s team to 5-for-34 shooting in the second half, and took a 68-55 victory.

“They hit seven threes in the first half,” Dutcher said. “I wasn’t upset because a lot of them were contested. But we had only three stops in a row just once. In the second half we did it six times.”

This was not at all out of character. This, in fact, is a rare season of dominance.

San Diego State has an average victory margin of 18.4 points. It beat Utah by 28 points, three nights after Utah beat Kentucky. It beat Creighton by 31 points and then took out Iowa by 10 the very next night.

Its opponents are shooting 28 percent from the 3-point line and, in a subtle tribute to the way the SDSU defense keeps the ball from moving, are averaging just 10 assists a game.

The Aztecs do it in front of a wild student section called “The Show,” who know they can bring the noise in this uniquely oppressive, straight-up seating arena.

“I can’t imagine a team coming in here and feeling comfortable in all this noise,” Dutcher said.

Who are these guys? They’re exactly what works in today’s college game. They’re old, they’re deep and they play defense with jealous intent.

Center Yanni Wetzel came up with 17 points and 16 rebounds Saturday. He’s a New Zealander who is a senior transfer from Vanderbilt. Malachi Flynn, once the Washington player of the year, is a junior transfer from Washington State.

K.J. Feagin, from Long Beach Poly, was first-team All-West Coast Conference at Santa Clara. He is a senior transfer who has shelved a lot of his offensive game for team harmony.

At halftime Saturday, the Aztecs took inventory. They had been blitzing on Nevada’s screens, but were getting hurt when the screeners went to the basket. Dutcher decided to lay back on screens in the second half. He only had to draw it up once.

“We gave up the mid-range shot to those guys, and then they started missing those shots,” Wetzell said. “I’ll be honest, it felt different at halftime (trailing by two), but we’re an older group. We were able to pick up those adjustments because we’ve been playing a lot of years. We’ve guarded a lot of screens.”

“Yanni is nearly as old as I am,” Dutcher said.

Wetzell was stuck in the rubble of Vanderbilt’s 0-18 season last year, and only played 18 minutes a game, although he picked up an economics degree along the way. The Aztecs coaches studied whatever film they could.

“The way he played, when he did play, indicated he could be a 16-and-8 guy (points and rebounds) if he got the time,” Dutcher said.

“He’s got quick feet under there,” said Jordan Schakel, the swingman from Bishop Montgomery.

The folks in “The Show,” including a couple of septuagenarians, held signs that read “March Mapness” and held up large M-A-P letters.

They were referring to a social media device that superimposed the logos of all the undefeated teams on an outline of the U.S.

When Auburn lost to Alabama Wednesday, suddenly the SDS logo, with the arrow, was spreading from sea to shining sea.

“Then somebody put it on a couple of planets, too,” Dutcher said.

He didn’t seem worried about re-entry.

UC Irvine’s balanced attack is too much for UC Riverside

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IRVINE — Nothing pleases a coach more than a score sheet that is perfectly balanced.So UC Irvine head coach Russell Turner was smiling after the Anteaters dispatched a feisty UC Riverside team 69-53 with virtually everyone on the roster contributing.

Six Anteaters scored eight points or more, Evan Leonard led the way with 13 on 4-for-7 shooting, Brad Greene had 11 on 4-for-6 shooting and Tommy Rutherford, Collin Welp and John Edgar Jr. added nine points each. Eyassu Worku had eight points and five assists.

Dikymba Martin led UC Riverside with 10 points on a night when the Highlanders shot 28 percent from the field (17 for 60). It was the fewest points UCI has allowed this season, and the fewest UCR has scored.

That wasn’t surprising since both teams emphasize defense. UCI ranks 16th nationally in field goal percentage defense, and UCR 12th nationally in scoring defense.

“I do like it when we’re balanced like we were,” Turner said. “The same kind of team balance showed in the rebound stats as well. It makes us hard for teams to prepare for.

“Our senior guards (Worku and Leonard) are really good offensively and defensively. They’re unselfish players with championship qualities. We ask our guards to handle the ball and distribute, and that’s what you saw tonight.”

Leonard had a 3-pointer early and a fast-break basket that was part of a 12-2 run in the first half, and had a key basket and two free throws in the second half that parried a UC Riverside run that cut the Anteaters’ lead to eight in the second half.

“I think they’re one of the better teams in the conference this season,” Leonard said of Riverside. “They have two big guys who can really rebound well and they’re pretty good on defense.”

UCI improved to 11-8 overall and 3-0 in Big West Conference play, the only unbeaten team through the early stage of league games. UCR is 12-8 and 2-2 in league. The win was UCI’s 16th consecutive Big West win covering parts of two seasons.

The Anteaters hit their first three shots for a quick 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game, but UC Riverside rallied back to trail by a point at 12-11.

UCI then went on a 12-2 spree, Greene hitting a 3-pointer and Welp, Austin Johnson and Leonard also scoring. It turned out to be just the beginning of a 24-6 run in which the Highlanders went more than eight minutes without a field goal.

Nine UCI players scored as they built a 38-22 lead by halftime, Welp leading the way with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting. UCI shot 59 percent in the first half while limiting Riverside to 23 percent (7 for 30), with two of those field goals coming in the final two-plus minutes.

UC Riverside had an 8-0 run early in the second half to cut the UCI lead to nine points, and kept trying to chip away, getting within eight three times.

The biggest play came with six minutes left. Leading by eight, guard Aiden Krause grabbed a loose ball with Riverside’s Dominick Pickett and tied it up, holding on as Pickett picked up a dead ball foul for an aggressive push at the end of the play.

Leonard sank two free throws to extend the lead to 10, and Greene and Rutherford scored on the next three possessions to push the margin back to 15 with four minutes left.

The Anteaters next play at Long Beach State (6-14, 1-3 Big West) on Wednesday then return to the Bren Center next Saturday to face Cal Poly.

Eli Tomac takes Supercross event at Angel Stadium in Anaheim

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  • Zach Osborne, #16, rides in the 450SX Heat 2 of the AMA Supercross at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Saturday, January 18, 2020.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Zach Osborne, #16, far right, goes around the first turn as he rides in the 450SX Heat 2 of the AMA Supercross at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Saturday, January 18, 2020.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  • Zach Osborne, #16, rides in the 450SX Heat 2 of the AMA Supercross at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Saturday, January 18, 2020.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Zach Osborne, #16, rides in the 450SX Heat 2 of the AMA Supercross at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Saturday, January 18, 2020.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Riders get some air off a jump during a heat of the AMA Supercross at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Saturday, January 18, 2020.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Zach Osborne, #16, rides in the 450SX Heat 2 of the AMA Supercross at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Saturday, January 18, 2020.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Fans stand for the national anthem at the AMA Supercross at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Saturday, January 18, 2020.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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ANAHEIM – By now, Zach Osborne was supposed to be an elite Supercross champion, a shining star in the series competing for a victory every weekend.

At 11 years old, he landed his first factory ride and quickly became the guy to beat during his decorated amateur career. His potential seemed limitless.

Life, though, rarely follows the script.

And once he turned pro he was essentially a huge bust, failing to live up to all of the hype and headlines. Soon after, he found himself driving a dump truck for his dad in Virginia, wondering if this was now going to be his life.

“I just wasn’t prepared physically or mentally for the next step of becoming a pro. It was more a thing of not being mature enough,” he said. “I had to grow up and realize that this is what I wanted to do as a job. Take the bull by the horns and find my footing.”

And Osborne is finally beginning to live up to the promise he showed as an amateur.

While he was no match for Eli Tomac, who cruised to a 1.97-second victory over Ken Roczen in the main event, Osborne turned in his best performance so far this season on Saturday night at Angel Stadium, placing fourth.

Osborne got a great start and was in third by the end of the first lap, but his Husqvarna teammate Jason Anderson and Cooper Webb passed him on the next lap, dropping Osborne to fifth.

Osborne ran as low as sixth in the 20-minute race, but he never fell more than 3.5 seconds behind third place.

Half way through the race, Osborne closed in on Anderson and for the next two laps, they raced wheel to wheel until Osborne passed his Husqvarna factory teammate for fifth with seven minutes to go.

Osborne then began to run down Adam Cianciarulo, and two minutes later, he jumped inside of Cianciarulo in a 90-degree right hander to move into fourth.

It was Osborne’s second top-five finish in as many races as he came in fifth last weekend in St. Louis. He’s now in a three-way tie for seventh in the rider standings, just seven points behind Webb, the reigning Supercross champion who finished third on Saturday.

Osborne said he has never been more confident and has never been in a better place in his career.

“I have a good team around me and a good bike,” Osborne said. “The dream and goal was to be back here. It has been a long road. I am thankful for it. There were always times when you doubt it, but it is nice when it pays off.”

With his dirt-bike racing future hanging in the balance, Osborne tried to resurrect his career taking a two-race deal to ride in Europe in 2008. He ended up finding more success than he could have imagined, staying with the same team for the next four seasons.

His dream of riding in a Supercross race in America was now there for the taking.

“I appreciate things more now. I try to appreciate it every day,” he said. “I know what the other side of the coin looks like. The struggle is what made me.”

When he was in Anaheim during the season opener earlier this month, he was still trying to fight his way through a bad case of the flu, and finished 14th in the field of 22 riders.

Coming into the season, Osborne said his only goal was to earn a breakthrough victory, and last week in St. Louis he showed that he definitely has the speed to make that happen, speeding out of the starting gate to grab the early lead. He also got a chance to show off his trademark, hard-nosed style as he knocked Cianciarulo into the barriers lining the track during a battle for third.

“I want to get that a win and be in the thick of things,” Osborne said. “The main thing is getting healthy again. I just need to continue the fight while I get my health back.”

Osborne said he’s at about 90 percent now, still needing to regain some of the strength and endurance he lost while he took time off to recover from the flu.

Osborne has a tight training routine that he tries to stick to religiously during the season. Before the St. Louis race, he rode one time at the test track, just like the week before. Normally, in those 14 days he said he would have been on his Husqvarna nine times

“We have been slowly grinding back onto the program, trying to find some fitness and speed,” he said. “The last 10 percent will come I the next couple weeks. I am sure of it.”

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