Lancers Lay Egg at Line in Loss

You can slow a quicker team, you can hit the crucial baskets, and you can make the big defensive stops, but Orange Lutheran found out Thursday night that you can’t win a game without making free throws.

The Lancers made only 10 of 21 free throws and lost to Playa del Rey St. Bernard, 77-69, in a Division IV Southern California Regional boys’ basketball semifinal at St. Bernard.

Orange Lutheran (25-6) was within 72-66 when Ryan Nath scored on a putback with 1 minute 25 seconds to play, but the Lancers made only one of six shots the rest of the game. St. Bernard (25-7) made five of nine free throws in the final 45 seconds to seal it.

Orange Lutheran trailed, 60-45, at the end of the third quarter but refused to go away. In a gritty fourth-quarter stand, the Lancers held the Vikings without a field goal for the first 4:31.

But defense helped St. Bernard hold its ground. The quick Vikings hounded Orange Lutheran shooters, got hands in passing lanes and created turnovers with a menacing press to keep the Lancers at arm’s length, 65-58.

“We neutralized them at points, but they made their runs,” Lancer Coach Shawn Cassidy said. “They used their quickness and were able to disrupt a lot of things we did on offense.”

Jason Whieldon had 30 points, but the 71% free-throw shooter made only two of eight from the line. He was five of seven from the field in the first quarter as Orange Lutheran took a 24-15 lead, but was five of 14 the rest of the game.

The up-tempo St. Bernard offense used a 20-4 run to open the second quarter, taking a 35-28 lead with 2:30 left in the half. Its halftime lead was 39-35.

Patrick Salyer had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Lancers.