Mount Miguel Edges Canyon Crest to Reach Semis

It was a performance that was a little jagged around the edges, but the Mount Miguel High boys basketball team kept its quest for a second straight San Diego CIF Division III championship alive Saturday when the Matadors edged visiting Canyon Crest Academy 53-49 in a quarterfinal playoff game.

The Matadors fell behind 16-8 in the first quarter, but eventually built a nine-point lead in the fourth period. Missing five of six free throws in the final 40 seconds, however, nearly ended Mount Miguel’s season.

“We were in foul trouble much of the game,” Mount Miguel coach Jay Rowlett said. “But I was pleased with our defense. We had our hands full with their big guy.”

Rowlett was speaking of the Ravens’ 6-foot-10, 250-pound Cory Osetkowski, who burned the Matadors for 21 points.

The coach credited 6-foot-3 juniors Cory Littleton and Thomas Butler for guarding Osetkowski well enough to allow the Matadors to advance to the next round.

Marcus Booker carried the offensive torch for Mount Miguel with 21 points. Littleton led the team by gathering 11 rebounds.

“We have a lot of confidence,” said Booker. “Even when we fell behind we knew we would come back.”

No. 3 seed Mount Miguel (22-7), which has won six of seven playoff games the past two seasons (the only loss was in last year's SoCal Regional), travels to second-seeded Mission Bay (14-10) for Wednesday’s Division III semifinal action.

Canyon Crest Academy     16         6       11       16     –   49

Mount Miguel                             8       17      15        13     –   53

Canyon Crest Academy scoring: Osetkowski 21, Chenevey 9, R. Adams 8, Patterson 5, Ratopord 5, C. Adams 1.

Mount Miguel scoring: Booker 21, Butler 14, Wagner 9, Littleton 4, Hill 3, Abdi 2.

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Helix 59, Hilltop 51

Brian Valadez knocked down 21 points and the Young brothers–Tommie and Titus–added 13 apiece, propelling Helix to a 59-51 victory over visiting Hilltop in Saturday’s San Diego CIF Division II quarterfinal.

With the victory–the 14th in 15 games for the Highlanders (22-6)–Helix avenged an early-season 52-40 loss to the Lancers (20-9).

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 Lincoln 82, Monte Vista 40

Monte Vista proved to be no match for defending state-champion and top-seeded Lincoln Saturday as the Hornets buzzed to an 82-40 San Diego CIF Division II romp over the Monarchs.

KJ Houston tallied 15 points and Brian Sterling added 10 for the Monarchs, who finished the season 16-11.

Special to Patch.com from East County Sports.com