Woodbridge Easily Defeats University

Woodbridge made an emphatic return to the playoffs Friday night after a two-year absence, thumping crosstown rival University, 76-54, in the second round of the Southern Section Division I-A boys’ basketball playoffs at Woodbridge.

Even though the Warriors had blown out the Trojans earlier this season, a packed gym was expecting a much tighter game. University was playing well and coming off a first-round victory over Trabuco Hills.

Fans got nothing of the sort. The Trojans (17-11) hung tough for all of five minutes before the Warriors (19-8) pulled away with their up-tempo offense and superior size and depth.

Woodbridge Coach John Halagan shuffled 11 players into the game in the first half to keep his starters fresh. Junior swingman Danny Lambert, the Sea View League co-MVP, scored 12 of his 14 points in the first two quarters as the Warriors built a 39-28 halftime lead and won going away. Lambert would also finish with a game-high 13 rebounds.

“We’re a team on a roll right now,” said Halagan, whose Warriors have won seven in a row. “We beat a good team tonight soundly.

Woodbridge will play San Bernardino Pacific, a 96-63 winner over Moreno Valley, in a third-round game Tuesday. The Warriors have won one of three meetings against the Pirates over the last four seasons.

Even with a victory Tuesday, Woodbridge’s road won’t get any easier. The Warriors could meet fourth-seeded Santa Barbara in the quarterfinals and top-seeded Mater Dei in the semifinals.

“That’s why we’re taking it one game at a time,” Halagan said. “Our guys aren’t playing tight. They’re having fun.”

Junior guards Doug Koeller and Tashaan Forehan-Kelly had a ball Friday. Koeller finished with 14 points and Forehan-Kelly came off the bench to score 11.

Lambert and guard Dan Reed (eight points) held University guard Andy Lawrence, the Trojans’ best player, to 16 points--eight on free throws. The Warriors also dominated the boards, outrebounding the Trojans, 47-36.

“They’re just bigger and controlled the glass,” Trojan Coach Mike Dinneen said. “We wanted to push the ball and penetrate and didn’t do a good job.”

In other Division I-A games:

Mater Dei 111, Alhambra Keppel 50--Mike Strawberry scored 17 points, Cedric Bozeman had 10 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds and Jamal Sampson had 11 points and five blocked shots for the top-seeded Monarchs (27-2), who advanced to play Thousand Oaks in the third round.

El Dorado 61, Whittier California 58--California’s Josh Oltjenvruns made two three-pointers in the last 30 seconds, but the Golden Hawks held on. Evan Bull had 10 points and 11 rebounds for El Dorado (24-3), which advanced to play Marina.

Troy 69, Indio 49--Ray Mike had 20 points and Sean Christensen added 14 for the host Warriors (25-2), who advanced to play Victorville Victor Valley.

Villa Park 59, Simi Valley Royal 45--Matt MacGinnis had 15 points, including three three-pointers for the host Spartans (25-2). Villa Park will play San Bernardino Cajon.

Marina 73, Saugus 52--Dustin Kaatz scored 17 of his 29 points in the first half and grabbed 12 rebounds for the host Vikings (24-3).

Thousand Oaks 72, Loara 71--Tim Chevalier’s three-point shot with 17 seconds left lifted the Lancers (18-9), who rallied from a 70-65 deficit with 2:13 left.