GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE : Kennedy Jinx Finally Ends for Pacifica

John Mayberry has seen a lot of basketball during his 14 years coaching at Kennedy High School, but he had never watched the Irish lose to Pacifica--until Wednesday night.

Pacifica made 15 of 20 free throws and held Kennedy’s Jermaine Galloway to four points in the fourth quarter for a 71-67 Garden Grove League victory at Pacifica.

It was Pacifica’s first victory over Kennedy since Mayberry started coaching the Irish in the 1977-78 season.

The victory lifted Pacifica (11-5, 7-1) into a first-place tie with Kennedy (10-8, 7-1) in the league. Kennedy beat Pacifica, 61-52, earlier in the season.

Galloway, a 6-foot-9 junior, burned Pacifica for 28 points, but the Mariners shut him down in the fourth quarter.

“I think he got a little tired,” Pacifica Coach Rhett Heckel said, “and we didn’t let their other guys hurt us.”

Pacifica led, 70-67, with eight seconds left when the Mariners’ Scott Lesser missed the front end of a one-and-one. Pacifica’s Kevin Gaughen rebounded, was fouled by Kennedy’s Vince Church, and made one of two free throws to seal the victory.

Gaughen, a 6-5 senior, had 23 points and nine rebounds for Pacifica. He had nine points and five rebounds the last time the teams met.

“Kevin was a little embarrassed when we played (Kennedy),” Heckel said. “He wasn’t very aggressive in that game. He came out with a vengeance.”

Mayberry agreed.

“That guy (Gaughen) did a job on us,” he said. “And we didn’t get the rebounding and we played poor defense.”

Pacifica outrebounded Kennedy 10-2 in the fourth quarter. The Mariners pulled down four offensive rebounds in the quarter, and Kennedy had none.

“We did a great job of rebounding and shooting free throws down the stretch,” Heckel said. “You have to do that to win championships.”

In other league games:

Santiago 47, Los Amigos 45 (OT)--Con Nguyen’s two free throws were the only points scored in overtime. Los Amigos missed three shots in the final seconds of overtime.

Garden Grove 86, La Quinta 83--Mark Perry scored 15 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and Joe Aguirre had 18 points for Garden Grove (9-9, 5-3).

Bolsa Grande 84, Rancho Alamitos 78--Bolsa Grande did not score in the last 1:30. Leading 84-67, Chris Singletary scored 11 consecutive points, including two three-pointers. Sy Sayarath had 30 points for Bolsa Grande (6-10, 4-4).