La Mirada’s Anthony Newman (11) makes a shot as they play West Covina in their CIF playoff game at La Mirada High School in La Mirada on Friday February 20 2015. (Photo by Keith Durflinger/Whittier Daily News)
By Stephen Ramirez
LA MIRADA — La Mirada High School looked every bit like the top seed in the CIF-Southern Section Division 2A boys basketball playoffs Friday.
Anthony Newman scored 32 points on nine 3-pointers and the Matadores smothered visiting West Covina, 70-23, in their post-season opener.
Kendall Lauderdale also had 16 points for La Mirada, which improved to 24-4 and will travel to Agoura, a 66-38 winner over Rio Mesa, in Tuesday’s second round. AJ Garcia had six points to lead the Bulldogs, who finished 12-16.
La Mirada’s Anthony Newman: “We came out strong, played good defense, like we always do. We’re trying to beat every team out here, listen to the coaches. We’re buying in and trying to win a CIF title.”
La Mirada coach Bryce Jones: “Tonight was about Anthony Newman. I haven’t seen the final stats, but he finished with nine 3-pointers. For him to do that, we’re tough to beat when he’s scoring like that. He stretches the floor for us and had a heck of a night.”
ETIWANDA 52, CANTWELL SACRED HEART OF MARY 39
RANCHO CUCAMONGA >> The Etiwanda boys basketball team has always lived and died with its defense. Well the Eagles are thriving.
Sophomore guard Miles Oliver scored 18 points to lead the way as the sixth-seeded Eagles surged past visiting Cantwell Sacred Heart 52-39 in a CIF-SS Open Division first-round playoff game on Friday.
The Eagles (21-7) will host Sierra Canyon on Wednesday.
— Michelle Gardner
EISENHOWER 64, WHITTIER 60
WHITTIER — A frenetic comeback attempt by the Whittier High School boys basketball team fell just short in a first-round CIF Southern Section Division 2AA playoff loss Friday night.
The host Cardinals were down by 16 points midway through the third quarter when they began to rally.
Eisenhower, however, held on to defeat Whittier, 64-60, and will play Ayala on Tuesday.
Whittier junior forward Miguel Salazar had perhaps the best single quarter of his high school career, scoring 18 points in the fourth to give the Cardinals (21-6) a chance at a comeback victory.
“We were down by so much and I wanted to keep the season alive for our team, especially for our seniors,” the soft-spoke Salazar said. “I just started to attack the basket.”
All of his teammates realized that and Dominic Saldana fed him with a great pass under the basket which Salazar made and sank the free throw to cut the Eisenhower lead to 57-54.
Saldana led all scorers in the game with 30.
— John Sherrard
Here is tonight’s CIF-SS playoff schedule:
BOYS BASKETBALL
FIRST ROUND
OPEN DIVISION
No. 6 Etiwanda 54, No. 11 Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary 39
DIVISION IAA
No. 4 Santa Margarita 73, Montebello 47
No. 2 Tustin 53, Schurr 37
No. 2 Village Christian 75, Cal 62
DIVISION 1A
No. 14 Glendale 61, Santa Fe 60
DIVISION 2AA
Eisenhower 64, at No. 14 Whittier 60
DIVISION 2A
No. 1 La Mirada 70, West Covina 23
SECOND ROUND
DIVISION 3AA
Sonora 85, Northwood 77
DIVISION 3A
No. 4 Esperanza 71, Pioneer 65
DIVISION 4A
Buckley 41, No. 13 Whittier Christian 36
ALL GAMES BEGIN AT 7 P.M.
BOYS SOCCER
FIRST ROUND
DIVISION 2
No. 1 Millikan 4, El Rancho 2
California 2, Palm Springs 0
Laguna Hills 4, Schurr 2 (PKs)
La Serna 1, Sonora 0
Jordan 1, Montebello 0
DIVISION 4
Laguna Beach 1, La Mirada 0
DIVISION 5
No. 1 Granite Hills 8, Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary 0
DIVISION 7
Laguna Blanca 7, St. Paul 1
ALL GAMES BEGIN AT 3 P.M.
