Short-Handed Ocean View Hangs Tough to Win Title

Don’t let Ocean View’s shaky fourth quarter fool you. The Seahawks are doing more with less this season.

Ocean View watched an 18-point fourth-quarter lead dwindle to four points Saturday before regaining its composure to hold off Chatsworth, 75-68, and win the American Division of the Torrey Pines National Prep Classic at Torrey Pines High.

Considering the circumstances, Seahawk Coach Jim Harris was ecstatic. Ocean View played without its starting point guard, Casey Ortiz (flu); one of its top big men, Jason Roth (who left the team), and a slew of other reserves who were sick. Only nine players dressed for the game.

Seahawk stars Marques Crane (10 points, nine rebounds) and Torin Beeler (13 points) had solid games but didn’t make the difference.

It was unusual suspects Steve Clarke and Kevin Chow who helped the Seahawks improve to 11-2, the same record they had after 13 games last season, when they reached the Southern Section Division II-A championship game.

Clarke, a shooting guard, made seven three-pointers in 10 attempts and finished with a career-high 24 points. Chow, usually the backup point guard, handled the ball with aplomb against Chatsworth’s pressure defense.

The performances were symbolic for a team that is winning with big contributions from role players.

“Our players have new burdens on their shoulders this season,” Harris said. “But even with the changes, we’re finding enough to maintain the tradition of doing well.”

Clarke finished one three-pointer short of tying the school record held by Jimmy Harris, the coach’s son, who last made eight three-pointers in a game in 1992 and again in 1993.

Ocean View led, 59-41, entering the fourth quarter and was still comfortably ahead after forward Bear Wurts’ basket made it 67-51 with less than five minutes to play.

Then Chatsworth made four consecutive three-pointers, three of them by Shayne Berry, to trim the margin to 67-63 with about two minutes left. But Chow, Beeler and Crane combined to make five of eight free throws over the next minute to put the game away.

Berry led the Chancellors (9-5) with a game-high 30 points.

In the National Division:

Santa Margarita 72, Brighton (Utah) 26--R.J. Socci scored 17 points, including 11 in the third quarter, as second-ranked Santa Margarita took third place.

Brandon Rohe added 11 points for the Eagles (14-1), who led, 16-2, after the first quarter.

In the Governor’s Cup Division:

Fountain Valley 62, Temecula Chaparral 54--Zach Wheatley scored 18 points before fouling out and Tucker Fendon scored 16 for Fountain Valley (9-4) in a consolation game.