LAS FLORES – The Orange Lutheran boys basketball team scored more than two points in the fourth quarter this time.
And the Lancers needed every point they did get Saturday.
Orange Lutheran defeated Tesoro 51-50 in a CIF Southern California Division II Regional semifinal in Tesoro’s packed and loud gym, one week after losing to Tesoro in a CIF Southern Section championship game.
The Lancers scored only two points in that 54-35 loss to the Titans in the Division 2AA final.
Orange Lutheran (23-11) advances to the Division II regional championship game to face Pacifica Christian (26-9) at Orange Lutheran on Tuesday at 7 p.m. It will be the first SoCal Regional championship game for both teams.
The winner of Tuesday’s game will play in the CIF State Championship Division II final in Sacramento on Saturday, March 11.
Tesoro finished the season with a 31-5 record. The Titans set a program record for most wins, won the South Coast League championship and won the school’s second CIF-SS championship in the sport.
Orange Lutheran sophomore guard Zion Paleo scored 18 points Saturday including three 3-pointers. Sophomore forward John Gazzaniga scored 13 points, making 7 of 9 shots, with eight rebounds. Senior forward David Manea scored six of his 10 points in the fourth quarter.
Orange Lutheran sophomore guard Zion Paleo scored 18 points in the Lancers 51-50 win over Tesoro in a CIF SoCal Regional Div II semifinal… pic.twitter.com/ftD7IknCBA
— Steve Fryer (@SteveFryer) March 5, 2023
Lancers senior Cannon Potter was assigned to guard Tesoro’s Carson Brown, a senior guard who scored 26 points on 9-for-17 shooting in last week’s 2AA final. He was held to 11 points Saturday and made 4 of 13 shots.
Brown took the final shot of the game and it was a miss.
An Orange Lutheran turnover gave the ball to Tesoro with the score 51-50 and four seconds remaining.
The Titans’ Blake Manning, in front of the Orange Lutheran bench, inbounded the ball to Brown at…
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