#3-seed LA Trade Tech (27-4) saw most of a 15-point second-half lead disappear, but managed to hold off a furious rally by Irvine Valley (27-5) and come away with an 84-81 victory, earning Trade Tech its first trip to the state tournament since 1977.
Four players scored in double figures for the Beavers, and another grabbed 10 rebounds, as Trade Tech rewarded the large home crowd with a victory. But after leading by 15 at 62-47 midway through the second half, the Beavers made the home crowd more than a little nervous as the Lasers trimmed the margin to a single point in the final minute of the game. And victory wasn't assured until PF Nick Pacitti stole Irvine Valley's last, desperate inbounds pass as the buzzer sounded.
Trade Tech controlled most of the first half, building a 44-33 halftime lead. Irvine Valley had gone on an 8-0 run early on to take a 14-8 lead, but Trade Tech answered with a 9-0 run to go back in front. A 3-pointer by SG J.R. Lewis pushed the Trade Tech lead into double digits at 29-18 and the lead hovered between 8 and 12 points the rest of the half before the Beavers went into the break 11 points ahead following a basket by SF Tim Smith late in the half.
And when the second half began, it looked like Trade Tech was still in control. PG Marquis Dubose scored on a baseline drive to push the margin to 14 points at 51-37. Irvine Valley scored the game's next 5 points to slice the margin to 9 at 51-42, but then Trade Tech answered wtih baskets by SF Rob Summers and Dubose to push the lead back to 13. And soon after, a 3-pointer by SG Michael Davis stretched the advantage to 15 points at 62-47.
But Irvine Valley still had more than ten minutes to rally, and that proved to be almost enough time. A putback basket by Ctr Bryce Webster cut the margin to single digits at 64-55, and a jam by SF Franklin Session made it a 7-point game at 64-57 with just over 8 minutes left. After a basket by Ctr Rico Myles made it 66-57, PF Blake Wallace drained a three for Irvine Valley to make it 66-60 with 6:39 remaining.
Trade Tech got a three from Lewis and a free throw from Myles - the Beavers' first free throw attempt of the evening, which came with 5:01 left - to push the margin back to 10. And Trade Tech still led by 10 at 72-62 after a pair of free throws by Lewis with 3:28 left.
But Irvine Valley made another final rally. A jumper by PG La'Shard Anderson made it 72-64, and a 3-pointer by Wallace, following a steal by Anderson, made it a 5-point game at 72-67 with 2:20 left. Trade Tech got a driving lay-up from SG Joseph Morgan to make it 74-67, but Wallace made a pair of free throws to again make it a 5-point game at 74-69 with 1:44 left. Then Trade Tech got a 3-point play from Morgan with 1:27 left to make it 77-69, but SF Jason Toney answered with a 3-point field goal to again make it a 5-point game at 77-72 with 1:12 remaining.
At that point, IVC began fouling in an effort to extend the game. They sent Morgan to the line with 1:08 left, but the sophomore guard calmly made both free throws to make it 79-72. But then Bryce Webster of IVC drew a foul inside. He made the first free throw to make it 79-73. He missed the second, but the Lasers controlled the rebound and got the ball to Toney, who drained another three to make it 79-76 with just under a minute to go.
Again, IVC fouled, sending Summers to the line with 55 seconds left. The 6-5 sophomore made the first free throw to make it 80-76, but missed the second. However, SG Kashif Watson was called for traveling along the baseline with 43 seconds left, giving the ball back to Trade Tech. And then Dubose was fouled, and he made one of two free throws to make it 81-76 with 37 seconds left.
But IVC wasn't finished yet. Watson drew a foul, and made one of two free throws with 29 seconds left to make it 81-77. Then Trade Tech tried an alley-oop from Morgan to Ctr Imari Thomas on a fast break - an ill-advised play to say the least - which misfired. IVC recovered the loose ball, and Anderson knocked down a 3-pointer to make it a one-point game at 81-80 with 12 seconds left.
Again, IVC had no choice but to foul, and this time Morgan atoned for his alley-oop by making a pair of free throws to make it 83-80. But Irvine Valley still had 10 seconds left, and got the ball to Anderson for a 3-point try. Summers got a finger on the shot, which fell well short. However, the ball ended up in the hands of Toney, who was fouled with 2 seconds left.
Toney made the first free throw to make it 83-81, and intentionally misssed the second. But Trade Tech's Summers coralled the rebound and was fouled with 1 second left. Summers then went to the line and made the first free throw to make it 84-81. But in trying to miss the second, he fired the ball off the backboard. That violation gave IVC possession on the baseline with 1 second left, still trailing by 3 points.
The Lasers had no choice but to try a long pass and shoot a 3-pointer. But Wallace's pass was intercepted by Pacitti just across the midcourt line, finally allowing Trade Tech to secure the victory.
For Trade Tech, Lewis made 5 threes and finished with a team-high 17 pts. Morgan had 15 pts, including 9 in the last two minutes. Summers came off the bench to have a strong overall game with 14 pts, 4 rebs and a team-best 4 asts. Dubose added 10 pts and 3 asts. And Thomas had just 4 pts but pulled down a team-high 10 rebs and registered a game-high 5 blocked shots.
For Irvine Valley, Wallace had a double-double with a game-high 21 pts plus 10 rebs. Anderson had a very strong game with 16 pts, 4 asts and 5 steals. And Toney was extremely efficient, making 6 of 7 shots from the floor, including 3 threes, for 16 pts. Bryce Webster just missed a double-double with 9 pts, a game-high 11 rebs and 4 blocks. Watson added 9 pts, 6 rebs and 4 asts.
For Trade Tech, the win sends them to the state tournament for the first time in 31 seasons. They will face defending champion Fresno in the quarterfinals Friday.
The loss ends what was still an excellent season for Irvine Valley. The Lasers finished 27-5, with two of their losses coming to Trade Tech.
box score
Saturday, March 8, 2008 - 7 pm
at LA Trade Technical College
Playoffs - Regional Final
Irvine Valley Lasers 81:
3-Kashif Watson, SG - 2/9 fg, 5/6 ft, 6 reb, 4 ast, 1 pf, 9 pts
5-Jason Toney, SF - 6/7 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 reb, 5 pf, 16 pts
21-Blake Wallace, PF - 5/11 fg, 9/12 ft, 10 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 pf, 21 pts
24-La'Shard Anderson, PG - 7/16 fg, 3 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk, 5 stl, 4 pf, 16 pts
44-Bryce Webster, C - 3/8 fg, 3/4 ft, 11 reb, 4 blk, 1 stl, 3 pf, 9 pts
22-Franklin Session, F - 1/5 fg, 2/6 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 4 pts
23-Jeff Ledbetter, G - 1/2 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 4 pts
4-Perry Webster, G - 1/3 fg, 3 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 pf, 2 pts
30-Jaron Devine, C - 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
team rebounds: 8
Totals: 26/62 fg (.419), 22/32 ft (.688), 47 reb, 15 ast, 6 blk, 9 stl, 17 pf, 81 pts
3-pt fg (7): Toney 3, Anderson 2, Wallace 2
Fouled Out: Toney 1 second left
Turnovers (16): Watson 4, Wallace 4, Toney 2, Anderson 2, B.Webster, Session, Ledbetter, team
LA Trade Tech 84:
11-Marquis Dubose, PG - 4/6 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 10 pts
13-Joseph Morgan, SG - 5/8 fg, 5/5 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 5 pf, 15 pts
31-Imari Thomas, C - 2/9 fg, 10 reb, 1 ast, 5 blk, 2 pf, 4 pts
33-Brian Tolette, SF - 1/6 fg, 0/1 ft, 4 reb, 2 pts
44-Nick Pacitti, PF - 2/6 fg, 5 reb, 2 stl, 2 pf, 6 pts
12-Tim Smith, F - 4/4 fg, 3 reb, 2 blk, 1 stl, 1 pf, 8 pts
15-James (JR) Lewis, G - 5/12 fg, 2/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 17 pts
20-Rob Summers, F - 6/12 fg, 2/4 ft, 4 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 14 pts
24-Rico Myles, C - 2/4 fg, 1/2 ft, 7 reb, 1 ast, 4 pf, 5 pts
34-Rene Johnson, G - 0/3 fg, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 pf, 0 pts
30-Michael Davis, G - 1/2 fg, 1 pf, 3 pts
21-Darrell Tripp, C - 0/1 fg, 1 blk, 0 pts
32-Kenan Biberovic, G - 1 reb, 1 ast, 2 pf, 0 pts
team rebounds: 2
Totals: 32/73 fg (.438), 11/16 ft (.688), 40 reb, 13 ast, 10 blk, 9 stl, 25 pf, 84 pts
3-pt fg (9): Lewis 5, Pacitti 2, Dorsey, Davis
Fouled Out: Morgan 2 seconds left
Turnovers (12): Dubose 4, Pacitti 2, Morgan, Thomas, Summers, Myles, Johnson, Biberovic
Halftime Score: LA Trade Tech 44, Irvine Valley 33
Updated Records: LA Trade Tech 27-4, Irvine Valley 27-5
Note: Trade Tech advances to its first state tourney since 1977
