Coast Union boys clinch league basketball title with 55-19 win
The Coast Union boys basketball team marched past another Coast Valley League opponent with skill and smart ball handling Friday night, Feb. 5, at home. The 55-19 score only tells you part of the story about the win over the Maricopa Indians.
Coast Union is now locked into a first-place finish in the CVL. At 9-0 (second-place Valley Christian Academy is 7-2) with one game remaining — Tuesday, Feb. 9, against Coastal Christian — the Broncos have wrapped up their fifth consecutive league title.
Against Maricopa, Sam MacKinnon led the Broncos with 21 points and added a steal. Jez Lawson scored 16, with two steals and four rebounds. Roberto Cueva nabbed six rebounds, had a pair of steals and scored eight points. Jack MacKinnon and Riley Kennedy each picked up four points.
When asked about the basketball “IQ” of the seven players he is coaching, head coach Tim May said, “This team is definitely one of the smartest teams I have coached, not only academically but in basketball IQ.”
In fact, May intends to submit his team’s scholastic record “to the Southern Section CIF for ‘Academic Team of the Year,’ ” award, as he did with the 2003-04 team that won the award.
On Tuesday, Feb. 9, Coast Union overpowered Coastal Christian 52-5. Riley Kennedy scored 12 points, Sam MacKinnon added 10 and Auggie Johnson tallied nine for the 10-0 Broncos. Roberto Cueva had eight points, and Jack MacKinnon tossed in seven.
On Friday, Feb. 10, the Broncos play a nonleague game at Bellarmine-Jefferson in Burbank, a private Catholic high school with about 320 students. The CIF playoffs begin next week for the boys and girls teams.
GIRLS
Emily McAvoy led the way for the Lady Broncos as they defeated the Maricopa Indians 42-20 on Friday, Feb. 5. McAvoy tallied eight points, grabbed seven rebounds, and blocked two shots for Coast Union.
Rima Panchal scored seven points, had a pair of steals and two assists and Bobbi Gonzales chipped in six points and had two steals.
The Lady Broncos played Coastal Christian Tuesday, Feb. 9, and won 40-19. Reagan Kniffen had 11 points, four rebounds and three steals; she also hit a dramatic buzzer-beater from near halfcourt to bring the crowd to its feet. Ashley Martinez had 10 points, four steals and two assists, and Meg Stern grabbed seven rebounds and chipped in with six points.
This sports report is special to The Cambrian.
This story was originally published February 10, 2016 at 9:31 AM with the headline "Coast Union boys clinch league basketball title with 55-19 win."