HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL : THOUSAND OAKS TOURNAMENT : Agoura Uses 3rd-Quarter Flurry to Bury Lancers, 64-47

Agoura High found that the best way to avoid a fourth-quarter collapse Saturday night was to throw a knockout punch in the third. A 10-point run by the Chargers to start the second half left host Thousand Oaks reeling and Agoura went on to win, 64-47, and take third place in the Thousand Oaks tournament.

St. Monica came back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win the championship with a 68-65 victory over Vermont, Australia.

Eddie Corridori and Jeff Niemann each scored 15 points for Agoura (3-1), which came back from a disappointing 57-53 loss to St. Monica on Friday in which the Chargers blew a fourth-quarter lead.

Jon West hit one three-point shot and Niemann drilled another to open play in the third quarter, giving the Chargers a 33-20 lead. Corridori then dished off to Benon Ureda for an easy layup and finished off a fast break to make the score, 37-20, with 5:21 left in the quarter.

“If we’re going to be successful, we have to play defense,” Agoura Coach Kevin Pasky said. “If there is anything I’m pleased with after four games, it’s the defense. We’re a little overzealous at times, trying to pick people’s pockets, but you can’t fault the effort.”

The Lancers (2-2) could not keep up with Agoura after closing to 17-16 with 6:12 remaining in the first half. Sparked by center Lloyd Silvers with six points off the bench, the Chargers managed to open up a 27-20 lead at the intermission.

Thousand Oaks received 11 points from Andrew Borg from the outside and 10 from postman Shane Graham but made only 11 of 45 shots from the field.

“Our JV team will beat us if we shoot 11 of 45,” Coach Ed Chevalier said.

In other games:

Simi Valley 67, Alemany 53--Danny Alexander led a balanced attack with 19 points as Simi Valley (7-1) took fifth place.

Richard Dice scored 29 points for Alemany (4-4).

Hart 79, Crescenta Valley 71--Down 12 points in the third period, Hart took the lead midway through the fourth quarter of the seventh-place game. Ali Peek sank 11 of 12 field-goal attempts and finished with 29 points and 20 rebounds for Hart (4-4).

Glenn Granz scored 19 points for Crescenta Valley.

Faith Baptist 88, Oxnard 70--Alex Estrada scored a season-high 35 points and had 12 assists to lead Faith Baptist to 11th place. Etienne Moore scored 13 points and grabbed 20 rebounds for Faith Baptist (5-3)--the fourth consecutive game in which he has had 20 or more rebounds.

Oxnard’s Corey Upchurch scored 24 points.

Hueneme 68, Antelope Valley 63 (OT)--Tony Smith forced overtime with a basket at the buzzer and finished with 31 points as Hueneme (4-3) won the consolation championship. Zach Curtis led Antelope Valley with 18 points.