CdM’s slow start leads to tough loss

SANTA ANA — Someone from Canyon High’s side called Corona del Mar Coach Ryan Schachter over to the scorer’s table.

A problem arose before the late game of the Martin Luther King Jr. Classic at Century High.

Schachter was asked about the whereabouts of the Sea Kings’ scorekeeper, the official one since CdM was the home team.

“I don’t know,” said Schachter before getting the person to volunteer.

The new official scorekeeper didn’t really need to keep track of CdM’s points in the opening quarter.

Two points is all CdM managed, falling behind by 23 points.

At this point, Schachter yearned to be where his absent scorekeeper was Saturday night.

“I wanted to go home,” Schachter said. “I was just thinking, ‘How can I get out of here?’ I was thinking about getting two quick [technical fouls] and just leaving.”

Schachter stuck around and the Sea Kings picked up the intensity.

CdM fought back before falling late, 54-50, for the second time in as many nights.

Seeing the Sea Kings (9-10) rally from a huge deficit and still lose hurt Schachter just as much as their effort in the first quarter.

As Schachter left the locker room, an assistant from Canyon (13-6) told Schachter, “Don’t be so hard on the refs.”

Schachter smiled. Only if the assistant had heard Schachter in the locker room, where he ate up his team and discussed at length the lost opportunities the past two nights.

CdM went into Saturday losing the night before at University, 56-52, a critical Pacific Coast League contest, which marked the end of the Sea Kings’ 16-game league winning streak.

Down the stretch, CdM, ranked No. 13 in the CIF Southern Section Division III-A coaches’ poll, earned its way back against Canyon, No. 6 in Division III-AA.

Getting quality play from guard Parker Stone (11 points, six rebounds) off the bench, playing stifling defense and seeing senior Sean Donovan find his shot helped.

Donovan poured in 10 of his 15 points in the fourth. He cut the Sea Kings’ deficit to 52-50 with 38.6 seconds left by hitting a jumper.

A foul was called on Canyon, giving the ball right back to the Sea Kings.

Donovan drove toward the basket, fighting off a couple of defenders. The shot rimmed in and out.

The Sea Kings quickly fouled. Canyon converted one of two free throws, pushing its lead to 53-50 with 22.2 seconds remaining.

The Sea Kings had another chance to close in, or possibly tie it. Schachter wanted a two-point field goal to make it a one-point game.

Donovan forced an awkward three-pointer.

“I wanted him to get a two so we can set up in our press,” said Schachter, whose defense forced Canyon late to turn the ball over three times off the press, aiding CdM’s resurgence.

The Sea Kings failed to score again.

The end was reminiscent of Friday’s game at University, where CdM was held scoreless in the final 69 seconds.

Schachter chalks it up to three things, experience, execution and effort. The last one set the Sea Kings back early on.

“It wasn’t that we didn’t score, it was the effort,” said Schachter of the first quarter in which the Sea Kings made one of 12 field goals. “There’s no way [Canyon] should’ve scored 25 points on us in the first quarter.”

Martin Luther King Jr. Classic

Canyon 54, Corona del Mar 50

SCORE BY QUARTERS

C – Priest 14, Galluccio 11, Anderson 9, Lampe 9, Nelson 6, Alavi 3, Ferragamo 2.

3-pt. goals – Priest 1, Lampe 1, Alavi 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

CdM – Donovan 15, P. Stone 11, Gallian 8, Jones 7, Cheek 6, T. Stone 3.

3-pt. goals – P. Stone 3, Donovan 2, T. Stone 1, Jones 1.

Fouled out – Gallian.

Technicals – None.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].