nike3.htm

SoCal High School & Prep Report

Nike Extravaganza III: Ocean View
Hammers Etiwanda--(February 8, 1998)

The Nike Extravaganza, hosted by Mater Dei had two sessions: An "afternoon" session featuring local area teams, and an "evening" session featuring the headliners, the national calibre teams. The first game of the afternoon session actually got underway at 11:30 am, and in that one Ocean View beat Etiwanda 54-41.

And in this one Ocean View did "it" again. After holding Tustin to only 19 points the night before, Ocean View hauled its defense out again, proving just how difficult it can be for teams to score against the Seahawks when their game is "on".

Etiwanda coach Dave Kleckner's Eagles may be unbeaten in the Mt. Baldy League, but that meant nothing to Ocean View, which held Etiwanda to its lowest point total of the season. The Eagles were obviously not prepared to play, and certainly weren't ready for Ocean View's defense, as they committed a 19-turnover performance, that also included 38 percent field goal shooting. While Etiwanda is ranked as the No. 1 team in the Pomona Valley area, Etiwanda, which is now 18-6, scored only four points in the first quarter and just six in the third. The Eagles' standout forward, Corey Landrum, was held to four points and Etiwanda point guard Gary Colbert played a mere 19 minutes, 57 seconds because of early foul trouble. Colbert, called for an illegal screen and two charging calls, sat out the final six minutes of the first half and was benched for the remaining 5:19 of the third quarter when pinned with a fourth foul. The Eagles had crept within 26-19 when Colbert picked up the foul. Ocean View (19-4) took advantage of his absence with a 12-2 run to close the quarter.

Etiwanda had a difficult time screening and penetrating, and even it's entry passes weren't very good. Kleckner tried Landrum, Chris Dill, Sandey Waight and Kristian Jordan at point guard. Nothing worked, and there was no flow on offense. Colbert finished the game with only nine points, seven in the fourth quarter.

While Etiwanda was wondering whether its Friday night game against Montclair and early-morning bus ride south proved too tiring, Ocean View, ranked No. 1 in Division 3A and No. 2 in Orange County, picked right up from its own Friday night game. The Seahawks smothered eighth-ranked Tustin, taking leads of 23-2 and 40-6.

Ocean Views's defense is about denying the passing lanes, perhaps allowing a bounce, but they'll do anything to break the opposing team's rhythm. When it's working, it looks like they've got 7 or 8 players out on the floor. And it worked on Saturday as Etiwanda committed eight turnovers in the third quarter, fell behind by 17 points and could only manage to bring it back to 46-38 on Matt Donahue's 3-pointer in the final two minutes. Donahue, one of four key returners from last year's CIF finalist team, led the Eagles with 12 points. Center Kevin Hanson led Ocean View with 13 points and helped the Seahawks outrebound Etiwanda, 35-26, with 10 boards.

The Seahawks' coach was just enthused after the game Saturday. "This is what makes us so hard to play: we've got five guys shooting better than 50 percent and no one averaging more than 12 points a game I love this team. I don't want this to end."