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COSTA MESA – Fairmont Prep vs. Pacifica Christian continues to be one of the better rivalries in Orange County boys basketball.
Fairmont Prep was the winner Friday. The Huskies defeated Pacifica Christian 88-76 in a San Joaquin League game at Vanguard University.
Pacifica Christian beat Fairmont Prep 62-59 on Jan. 14. The two teams played each other four times last year, with Fairmont Prep winning their two league games and beating the Tritons in a CIF-SS championship game and in the CIF Southern California Regionals.
Fairmont Prep senior guard Atin Wright scored a game-high 36 points Friday, his eighth game this season of 30 or more points. Wright was 20 for 23 at the free-throw line, including 8 for 8 in the fourth quarter.
Pacifica Christian 6-7 senior forward Judah Brown, a St. Mary’s signee, scored 28 points including 11 in the fourth quarter.
Fairmont Prep (16-7 overall) is in first place in the all-private school San Joaquin League with a 5-1 league record. The Huskies have two league games remaining next week: at Orangewood Academy on Monday and at Capistrano Valley Christian on Thursday.
Pacifica Christian is in second place with a 4-1 league record. The Tritons (17-7) have three regular-season games remaining with league games at home against Capistrano Valley Christian on Monday, at Saddleback Valley Christian on Wednesday and home against Saddleback Valley Christian on Friday.
The game was played at Vanguard University because it has a larger gym than Pacifica Christian – 600 capacity at Vanguard, 500 at Pacifica Christian. It was standing-room only Friday.
Wright has enjoyed the rivalry.
“We all play hard,” Wright said “It’s always a dog fight.”
It was a physical game with plenty of fouls and free throws. The teams combined for 22 free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter in which Fairmont Prep scored 31 points.
Both teams had big leads and lost them.
Fairmont Prep had a 10-2 lead in the first quarter and took a 21-12 advantage into the second quarter and had a 42-35 lead at halftime. Pacifica Christian outscored Fairmont Prep 23-15 in the third quarter in which the Tritons had an eight-point lead. They led 58-57 going into the fourth quarter.
Wright was thinking often about Kobe Bryant all week.
“Everything I do … he’s my idol,” Wright said. “You’ve got to have that Mamba mentality, you know what I mean?”
Pacifica Christian is No. 4 in the Orange County top 25, and Fairmont Prep is No. 5 in the county rankings. In CIF-SS rankings Fairmont Prep is No. 11 in Division 2AA and Pacifica Christian is No. 5 in 2A.