(Pasadena) – Brandon Jolley scored 20 Points and Blake Hamilton added 16 to lead Pasadena to a 72-55 win over South Torrance Wednesday night in the first round of the CIF State Division III Playoffs. The Bulldogs were tied at 30 at halftime but broke it wide open in the fourth qaurter and won going away.
Hamilton was held to just four points in the first half but came out aggressively in the third quarter scoring eight including a slam inside. Ajon Efferson hit a three ball and had seven points in the third as the Bulldogs tried to shake the pesky team from South Torrance.
A 19-6 run to open a 20 point lead in the fourth put the game away. Jolley was doing work down on the block and muscled in six points and Freshman Jeffrey McClendon knocked in four off the bench to lead the final Pasadena charge.
The Bulldog defense was in lockdown mode in the final period as well holding the Spartans to just eight points in the quarter.
Pasadena jumped out to a 7-2 lead out of the gate behind a couple of inside buckets by Jolley but the Bulldogs quickly realized they were in a game as South Torrance came storming back. Jake Ly hit a three and tallied seven points in the first quarter to keep Spartans within five, 17-12, at the end of one.
South outscored Pasadena in the second quarter and took the lead briefly with under a minute left at 30-28. Efferson scored a driving layup at then end of the half to tie it at 30.
Kenichi Hackman and Gibran Sewani combined in the second for 12 of the 18 second quarter South Torrance points to give the Spartans life. Sewani and Ly led the Spartans with 13 each and Hackman contributed 11.
Pasadena then grabbed the lead early in the third quarter and never looked back. The Bulldogs had three players in double figures. Efferson joined Jolley and Hamilton in doubles with 13. Perris Hicks added eight and John Haywood scored
nine and added a handful of steals setting the defensive tone for Pasadena.
Pasadena advances to the second round and will be home Saturday night.
S 12 18 15 10 55
P 17 13 22 20 72
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