Capistrano Valley Leads League After Defeating Mission Viejo

Nearing the halfway point of the South Coast League boys’ basketball race, it’s Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley by a nose.

The Cougars took the lead in the three-team race with a 55-52 victory Friday night against visiting Mission Viejo.

Capistrano Valley (18-1, 4-0), ranked No. 12 in the Southland by The Times, won the game at the free-throw line, making 11 of 15 in the fourth quarter.

After No. 15 Mission Viejo (17-2, 3-1) was called for a lane violation on a successful free throw by Jed Collins that would have brought the Diablos to within one point with 12.9 seconds remaining, Capistrano Valley’s Davis Baker made two free throws with 11.5 seconds left to give the Cougars a 54-50 lead.

“I didn’t come out this whole game,” said Baker, who scored a game-high 29 points, including 13 in the final quarter on nine-of-12 shooting from the line. “That’s how I wanted it, I wanted to finish it.”

Collins finished with 20 points. The remaining Mission Viejo starters combined for only eight points.

The Cougars will reach the halfway point of the league schedule Wednesday at No. 16 Lake Forest El Toro (16-3, 3-1), which defeated San Clemente, 58-56, on Friday night.