Pack run ends in semifinal loss to La Jolla

By Bill Dickens
Updated: March 2, 2016

West Hills' Kyle Ruiz (5) defends against La Jolla Tuesday night in Santee.

2015-16 PREP BOYS BASKETBALL – SDCIF PLAYOFFS – Semifinals

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com

SANTEE (3-2-16) — In one of its finest seasons in recent memory, the West Hills Wolf Pack were eliminated by the visiting La Jolla Vikings in a Division II San Diego CIF semfinal encounter, 51-44, on Tuesday (Mar. 1).

The Wolf Pack fell behind 32-16 by intermission. It appeared that the Vikings (22-9) had the victory and a trip to the championship round on Friday (Mar. 4) at Jenny Craig Pavilion with a 6 p.m. start locked up. However, West Hills had different ideas.

The Pack fought back, slicing the hefty La Jolla lead to 34-27 in the third quarter on a bucket by MIGUEL NAVA with 3:26 to go.

But once again West Hills stalled against the taller Vikings who led 45-31 in the fourth quarter.

“We did a lot of things wrong tonight,” said BRYCE PARSONS, who finished with a team high 17 points and 7 rebounds. “We were 0-for-10 from 3-point shots in the first half.”

La Jolla turned the game into a potential rout with a 21-4 second quarter burst.

“They killed us with their pick and roll,” Parsons noted. “They used their size advantage by pushing us up under the basket. But we never gave up. We played great defense to bring us back.”

The 6-foot-3 Nava, playing in a forest of La Jolla trees, was a surprise hero for West Hills, nailing 5 of 8 shots from the field for 10 points.

“It wasn’t the way I wanted to see our season end,” Nava said. “But it was a fun game. I would say this was my best game here. The difference was they were bigger and we had trouble matching up.

“Although I was disappointed with the results, it was a good way to go out as a senior.”

Nava has only played basketball since his freshman year. A native of Chesapeake, Virginia, he moved to Santee this season.

The hard-nosed Parsons is no doubt one of the top players in East County. He proves that every time out. But he didn’t have enough might to overcome the giants from La Jolla.

West Hills: Bryce Parsons 17 (7 reb, 1 ast, 4 stl, 1 blk), Miguel Nava 10 (4 reb, 1 stl, 2 blk), Kyle Ruiz 6 (5 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk), Marquell Cool 3 (2 reb), Marco Ovies 2 (3 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl), Cesar Curet 2 (3 reb, 1 stl), Chris Moyer 2 (1 reb), Spencer Moyer 2, Cameron Barry (3 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl), Scott Bettoney 2 (1 reb).