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No. 1 El Camino overcomes slow start to beat No. 8 Vista

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Vd6IKNErk

Wildcats erase 17-point first half defecit, remain unbeaten in Palomar League

When No. 1 El Camino took on No. 8 Vista on Wednesday night, the Panthers were clearly the better team. Vista hit all their shots and ran the section’s top team out of their gym.

Then the first quarter ended and the Wildcats took complete control of the game en route to a 78-64 win. It was their third win over the Panthers this season.

“It’s playing in packed arenas with a lot of people there, the high expectations with two good teams about to play,” said El Camino guard Steven Aldridge. “So when you come out everybody has nerves and it takes time to play through it.”

It took El Camino a whole quarter on Wednesday night.

Vista raced out to a 9-0 lead two minutes in and led by as much as 18 in the first quarter thanks to hot shooting from guard Stephen Que. Que scored all of his 17 points in the first eight minutes, including three three-pointers, and the Panthers had a sizeable 31-14 lead after one.

“We always seem to start off slow against Vista. Coach told us we just needed to pick it up and just start playing the way we’ve been playing,” Aldridge said. “Everybody came together and we motivated each other. We got a new motto – just staying positive.”

El Camino opened the second quarter with a 12-0 run, holding Vista scoreless for the first four minutes. The Wildcats eventually grabbed their first lead of the game when center Luke Evans made a layup with 58 seconds left in the half. The halftime buzzer could not sound soon enough for Vista, who was outscored 21-3 in the second.

“We started a break – everybody just played,” Aldridge said. “Once we started hitting those buckets that we’ve been hitting in the last few games, we were playing our game. So we just came out and we kept playing. We knew from there that we had them.”

El Camino carried that momentum into the third quarter, going on a 7-2 run to open the quarter. Aldridge scored 14 of his 25 points in the third to propel the Wildcats to a nine-point lead.

“My coach told me to stop playing so tentatively and loosen up – how he knows I can play,” Aldridge said. “So I just came out and I did what I did.”

Vista was still out of gas in the fourth quarter and could not come closer than eight, as El Camino won going away. It was just another impressive win the Wildcats.

“When we play as a unit, all together and everybody is clicking, I don’t think anybody’s going to be able to stop us,” Aldridge said.

El Camino has won 14 out of their last 15 games and has not dropped a game in league play. Their success is no secret.

“Defense, defense, defense,” Aldridge said. “That’s basically the only thing we get yelled at for. Coach stresses that – play hard and play defense.”

Evans led El Camino (23-3, 7-0 Palomar) with a game-high 31 points. Forward Quincy Lawson led Vista (19-6, 4-3) with 23 points, including 12 in the opening quarter.

Vista guard Tray Johnson drives baseline against El Camino guard Dayton Boddie

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Memories of bonfires amid the pits off Palm

Before it was Ocean View Hills, it was party central

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Vd6IKNErk

Wildcats erase 17-point first half defecit, remain unbeaten in Palomar League

When No. 1 El Camino took on No. 8 Vista on Wednesday night, the Panthers were clearly the better team. Vista hit all their shots and ran the section’s top team out of their gym.

Then the first quarter ended and the Wildcats took complete control of the game en route to a 78-64 win. It was their third win over the Panthers this season.

“It’s playing in packed arenas with a lot of people there, the high expectations with two good teams about to play,” said El Camino guard Steven Aldridge. “So when you come out everybody has nerves and it takes time to play through it.”

It took El Camino a whole quarter on Wednesday night.

Vista raced out to a 9-0 lead two minutes in and led by as much as 18 in the first quarter thanks to hot shooting from guard Stephen Que. Que scored all of his 17 points in the first eight minutes, including three three-pointers, and the Panthers had a sizeable 31-14 lead after one.

“We always seem to start off slow against Vista. Coach told us we just needed to pick it up and just start playing the way we’ve been playing,” Aldridge said. “Everybody came together and we motivated each other. We got a new motto – just staying positive.”

El Camino opened the second quarter with a 12-0 run, holding Vista scoreless for the first four minutes. The Wildcats eventually grabbed their first lead of the game when center Luke Evans made a layup with 58 seconds left in the half. The halftime buzzer could not sound soon enough for Vista, who was outscored 21-3 in the second.

“We started a break – everybody just played,” Aldridge said. “Once we started hitting those buckets that we’ve been hitting in the last few games, we were playing our game. So we just came out and we kept playing. We knew from there that we had them.”

El Camino carried that momentum into the third quarter, going on a 7-2 run to open the quarter. Aldridge scored 14 of his 25 points in the third to propel the Wildcats to a nine-point lead.

“My coach told me to stop playing so tentatively and loosen up – how he knows I can play,” Aldridge said. “So I just came out and I did what I did.”

Vista was still out of gas in the fourth quarter and could not come closer than eight, as El Camino won going away. It was just another impressive win the Wildcats.

“When we play as a unit, all together and everybody is clicking, I don’t think anybody’s going to be able to stop us,” Aldridge said.

El Camino has won 14 out of their last 15 games and has not dropped a game in league play. Their success is no secret.

“Defense, defense, defense,” Aldridge said. “That’s basically the only thing we get yelled at for. Coach stresses that – play hard and play defense.”

Evans led El Camino (23-3, 7-0 Palomar) with a game-high 31 points. Forward Quincy Lawson led Vista (19-6, 4-3) with 23 points, including 12 in the opening quarter.

Vista guard Tray Johnson drives baseline against El Camino guard Dayton Boddie

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