CIF State Basketball Playoffs: Pasadena turns up the heat on defense, knocks off Murrieta Valley in overtime; Muir goes toe to toe with Inglewood, but runs out of gas.

ANOTHER VIEW

“Murrieta Valley and Pasadena traded blows as if a heavyweight belt was on the line, and when four quarters couldn’t decide a victor, overtime was needed. Locked in an epic battle with the sixth-seeded Bulldogs (27-7) before an overflow crowd of more than 2,500 at MVHS —- probably the largest crowd ever for a Valley basketball game —- the third-seeded Nighthawks overcame a dismal 27-percent shooting night by playing their usual tough man-to-man defense and continually going into the paint to earn baskets when the perimeter was blocked.”
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“It was one of those classic defensive struggles, the kind where every point has to be fought for and earned. For the first time in while, Murrieta Valley came up short.:
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“It was a heavyweight battle of epic proportions, with neither giant throwing in the towel in front of a boisterous standing-room only crowd that roared with every basket. … ‘Man, what a ball game … what a ball game,’ Pasadena coach Tim Tucker said. ‘You can’t ask for a better game from both teams. Overtime, fighting for tooth and nails and neither team wanting to go home.'”
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“We’ve been behind by 25 and been in every possible situation this season. There isn’t a scenario we haven’t seen,” said coach Jason Bryant, whose Lincoln Hornets (26-2) started the fourth quarter down by three. “I was very happy we didn’t shoot threes and kept going to the basket. They finally listened.”
CLICK HERE FOR LINCOLN COVERAGE FROM THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

BOYS BASKETBALL
CIF STATE PLAYOFFS
SOCAL REGIONAL
THURSDAY’S SCORE
SECOND ROUND
DIVISION II
PASADENA 49, MURRIETA VALLEY 43, OT —
Pasadena delivered the final blows in the final minute to knock off Murrieta Valley 49-43 in overtime Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the CIF State Division II Southern California Regionals. Pasadena (27-7) moves on to play at Lincoln of San Diego in Saturday’s semifinals. Murrieta Valley (28-5) ends its history-making season after winning its first CIF-Southern Section Division 2AA championship. The Bulldogs don’t know that feeling, having let that opportunity slip away in the Division 2A final against Eisenhower last week. And perhaps drawing from that hunger, Pasadena didn’t let this win slip out of their hands. The wind was sucked out of the air with 1 minute, 16 seconds left in overtime, Murrieta Valley’s first sign of the end. Pasadena’s Steven Shares made a turnaround jump shot to give the Bulldogs a 44-43 lead. Nick Holden then blocked the Nighthawks’ ensuing possession and Todd Lewis Jr. grabbed the rebound with 1:01 remaining. The dagger came with 35 seconds remaining, courtesy of senior George Toyama. With the shot clock winding down and the crowd on its feet, Toyama drove inside, put a move on the defender, swooped the ball and kissed it off the glass to give the Bulldogs a 46-43 lead. Murrieta Valley missed its 3-point attempt and Shares grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 14.1 seconds. He made 1-of-2, giving the Nighthawks a chance at a miracle. Toyama, however, had other plans. He stole the inbounds pass near midcourt and was fouled with 9.5 seconds. He converted both his free throws to send the visiting crowd into a frenzy.

GIRLS BASKETBALL
CIF STATE PLAYOFFS
SOCAL REGIONAL
THURSDAY’S SCORE
SECOND ROUND
DIVISION III
INGLEWOOD 46, MUIR 41 —
Muir knew it was going to have to play one of its best games of the season to defeat host Inglewood. The Mustangs, who have not played well of late, stepped into that frame of mind Thursday night and played valiantly before finally succumbing to the CIF-Southern Section Division 3AA champions, 46-41, in the quarterfinals of the CIF State Division III Southern California Regionals. “We never gave up,” Muir coach Gary Johnson said. “We knew we had a chance. Missed free throws hurt us. But the girls didn’t give up.” Except for the game’s opening minutes, neither team led by more than one trip down the floor until the game’s final two minutes. The lead changed hands nine times. Muir, which lost in the CIF-SS Division 3A title game, took its final lead, 31-28, on a Daysha Thomas 15-footer with 1:51 remaining in the third quarte

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8 thoughts on “CIF State Basketball Playoffs: Pasadena turns up the heat on defense, knocks off Murrieta Valley in overtime; Muir goes toe to toe with Inglewood, but runs out of gas.

  1. Relax, Miguel has made some tough predictions about my Dawgs and I had to swallow the pill and it was true. The good predictions in the past are due to the fact that he studies the sport more than you and I so cut him some slack. My guess still is that he attended Muir, reverse psychology dude, if the lady Stangs read this and it bothers them enough they will advance and Inglewood will be done and Likewise if for a second the Dawgs think that they can relax against the Nighthawks they will be haunted with the could haves. Bulldogs, if you read this…Go Fight for yours…make us prouder, we are watching!!!!

  2. Mustang!: Don’t get me wrong, I’m pulling for the Stangs, but I think Inglewood is just much too strong. Look at what they did to Bishop Amat in the CIF-SS finals.

    hs sports dude: I’m currently working on selecting my first team. All-Area will probably hit the news stands in a couple weeks.

    Bulldog!: Na, I didn’t go to Muir. My prediction is based on what I saw from Murrieta Valley at the Honda Center. I got there at 10 a.m. to watch them play vs. Compton. Based on that, and what I’ve seen from PHS, I think the Bulldogs have enough talent to beat them. But they can’t get off to a bad start or let their defense take a backseat at any point.

  3. I think Miguel’s pick in the Pasadena game is pretty solid with one small point. Pasadena is a much better defensive team than Compton (MV’s opponent). If the bigs on Pasadena don’t go for every pump fake and try to put the ball in the front row but instead play disciplined D they have a good shot, regardless of their offensive play.

  4. According to the state brackets if PHS wins they will play #2 seeded Lincoln of San Diego.

  5. You have to love it…Pasadena downs the 2AA Champions at home. Now the distance is greater…San Diego. Go Get Em’ Dawgs, stay focused…play your game. We are very PROUD!!! GRRRRRR!!!!

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