BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Defense Carries Santa Clara Past Rio Mesa, 59-37

Santa Clara High held Rio Mesa forward Eric Thomas to a season-low 17 points Friday night en route to a 59-37 nonleague win at Rio Mesa.

Santa Clara (9-0), defending Division IV state champion, led from start to finish behind a game-high 28 points from senior guard Shon Tarver.

Tarver scored 10 points in the first quarter and Santa Clara outscored Rio Mesa, 19-5, in the second quarter to assume a 33-16 halftime lead.

“They’re a good basketball team and Tarver is a great basketball player,” Rio Mesa Coach Steve Wolf said.

Thomas, meanwhile, was an ailing player. The 6-6 1/2 senior, battled the flu throughout the game and the Spartans (3-4) never challenged.

“He almost passed out on the floor,” Wolf said of Thomas. “He was that sick. I didn’t realize he had anything until he shot an air ball in the second quarter.”

Senior guard Swanson Nunnery was held scoreless but contributed eight assists and seven steals for Rio Mesa.

GIRLS

Hoover 55, Burroughs 45--Burroughs trailed by only a point at halftime, but the Indians were outscored, 19-9, in the final quarter of the championship game of the Hoover tournament.

Wendy Bruce scored 17 points for Burroughs (9-3) and Tricia Mathieson added eight. Both earned all-tournament honors.

WOMEN

Moorpark 88, Chaffey 35--Five players scored in double figures for Moorpark, which recorded a season high in points in the nonconference game at home.

Cindy Wiley scored a game-high 22 points for the Lady Raiders and added six assists.

Katie Krause had 18 points and five assists. Angie Long had 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and Cherise Moncure had 12 points and eight steals.

Jeny Shotliff (10) also scored in double figures for Moorpark (8-4).

Chaffey, which had one player score in double figures, fell to 4-9.