IRVINE — The Woodbridge boys basketball team used a second-half offensive outburst to blow past El Dorado 55-39 on Friday night at Woodbridge High in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 3A playoffs.
JC Schindler scored 19 points and Stephen Lamp added 14 points, 12 coming in the second half.
Warriors coach Steve Scoggin challenged the senior duo in the second half.
“Two seniors stepped up, #3 JC Schindler and #13 Stephen Lamp,” Scoggin said. “I brought them over at the beginning of the third and just asked them ‘Do you want this to be your last night?’ and I left it at that.”
Lamp responded right away with a 3-pointer that tied that game and Schindler gave Woodbridge a 20-18 lead on the next possession.
Woodbidge (20-9) also received important contributions from Jaiden Sabino and Jason Briggs. Sabino had 12 points and Briggs chipped in 10 points along with active defense and rebounding.
“They just hit big shot after big shot,” Scoggin said of his team’s second-half shooting.
The Warriors scored 40 points in the second half after being held to 15 in the first half.
On defense, the Warriors were able to frustrate the Golden Hawks (19-11) by not allowing them any space or clean looks at the basket.
Noah Barker had a team-high 11 points for El Dorado while Andrew Salvador finished with 10 points.
El Dorado coach Ryan Mounce took responsibility for his lack of adjustments heading into the second half with an 18-15 advantage.
“Lots of self-inflicted wounds. You can’t play Yosemite Sam basketball out there and shoot yourself in the foot with missed shots, turnovers,” Mounce said. “We made some defensive mistakes, and they took advantage of them, that’s the difference in the game.”
Scoggin was impressed with his team’s defensive intensity in the second half.
“That’s what we pride ourselves on,” he said, “is the defensive end, and that’s the only way we’re going to be what we are, as a group, as a unit, on the defensive end.”
The Warriors will travel to North Torrance on Tuesday for the quarterfinals round and Scoggin is ready for the challenge.
“It’s on us, anyone we play is good, no matter what, so it’s on us,” he said. “If we play Woodbridge basketball, and play defense, I like my chances and that’s all you can ask for.”
