PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

Carson 60, Torrance 56--Torrance High School fell one quarter short of an upset Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Pacific Shores Basketball Tournament. The Tartars failed to score a point in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter. Carson went on a 10-point run and held on to win, 60-56.

Despite Carson’s late surge, Torrance still had a 52-51 lead after a layup by junior forward Art Terrill with 2:10 left in the game.

But Carson’s Raymond Bennett sank two clutch jumpers and Torrance’s best outside shooter, Brian Sabunas, had the potential go-ahead shot blocked in the key with 40 seconds remaining.

Despite the loss, Torrance Coach Carl Strong was pleased with his team’s gutty performance.

“This game showed we can play with anybody,” he said. “But it also showed that anybody can beat us, too.

“And it showed that even when you’re outsized, you still have to take someone on.”

Torrance did that for three periods and led 47-41 going into the fourth. They shifted defenses several times, baffling Carson and sending the Colts’ shooters into costly cold streaks.

Offensively, the Tartars adapted well to Carson’s full-court press. Terrill finished with 12 points and senior guard Jerold Balcon added 11.

Junior point guard Ray Wang contributed nine points (including seven crucial foul shots) and had four assists and a couple timely steals. But it was an off-night for Sabunas, who scored 17 points Wednesday but was only 3 for 12 from the floor Thursday.

Carson was hurt early in the second half when big men Rodney Bowen (two points) and Damon Estell (four points) fouled out. Stephen Smith (14 points) and Phillip Boyd (13 points) picked up the slack for the Colts.

“The old saying that it’s better to be lucky than good really applies today,” said Carson Coach Richard Masson. “We couldn’t hit the side of a barn (in the first half).”