El Camino starts off big playoff weekend right

“It’s pretty good, especially for the whole athletic program,” said Boe Egipto, El Camino boys’ basketball head coach. “The outlook is good, especially since the girls made it against our rival. So, the whole outlook, you could see the spirit was up. Everybody was juiced up.”

With girls’ basketball, boys’ soccer and boys’ wrestlers all in action Saturday, the No. 10-seed Gentleman Colts got the weekend started right Friday night with a 54-36 victory over unseeded Del Mar in the play-in round of the CCS Division III boys’ basketball tournament.

The Colts (15-10) entered their second straight CCS postseason appearance preparing for battle against Del Mar senior center John Battles, a 6-5 throwback to Kurt Rambis from the glory days of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers.

A second-team All-Blossom Valley Athletic League West Valley selection last year as a junior, Battles showed up to the tune of 10 rebounds. But pesky and persistent El Camino won the war, out-rebounding the Dons 34-25 overall.

“Especially since we’re not a big team, getting those loose rebounds and getting momentum off these loose balls, it’s really crucial to us,” said Brandon Jue, a senior guard who helped set the tone with three first-quarter boards. “It opens up the chance for second-chance points. And when we convert on those second-chance points, it allows our team to push it forward and keep the vibes going throughout the game. So, it sets the tone.”

While Del Mar (12-12) came to town with a black-and-yellow color scheme reminiscent of the SAL Hotshots from the old Serramonte Athletic League, the Colts turned to a hotshot of their own in senior forward Markson Jacques.

Listing at 6-3, Jacques outworked everyone in Kashevaroff Memorial Gym, recording a double-double of 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

“He’s been averaging like 10 rebounds a game or something,” Jue said. “He’s a big part of our game, especially in the rebounding aspect. Whenever he gets the rebound, we always push the pace, push the break, and that allows us to get a lot of fast-break points. Having him have a big game like this tonight, it helps us out a lot. And finding him whenever he’s open, it’s big for us.”

Jacques scored the Colts’ first three points, and grabbed six hustle boards in the first period. El Camino’s pressure defense created problems for the Dons, who totaled 15 turnovers overall, including four in the opening five minutes.

The Colts seized on the extra possessions to get their swing offense into a half-court rhythm, with senior forward Jarius Bernales scoring off a give-and-go pass from junior Eli Ledesma to tie it 5-all. Then Ledesma hit an impressive pull-up wing 3 to put El Camino ahead as part of a 9-0 run extending into the second quarter.

After shooting a tepid 4 of 17 from the field in the opening period, El Camino was a crisp 7 of 12 in the second. Then, after taking a 26-16 advantage into halftime, Bernales came to life in the second half, scoring an early layup en route to scoring 10 points in the game, eight of them coming in the third quarter.

“I think this is the most I’ve scored in a game,” said Bernales, known more for his post presence than his offense. “But obviously when I get my opportunity, I want to take it. That’s what my team needed, so that’s what I did.”

Bernales then raised the roof by letting the 3-pointers fly. He hit 1 of 3 attempts from beyond the arc, but when he banked one in to up the lead to 38-25 late in the third, it lit up the El Camino crowd. Not that Egipto necessarily wants his power forward shooting the 3s.

“No, absolutely not!” Egipto said. “But I tell the kids if opportunity knocks, just shoot it, because we need to shoot.”

In this respect, Egipto and Bernales are on the same page.

“I’m not necessarily a shooter,” Bernales said, “but if I get open, I’ll take my chance.”

Jacques rode the wave of momentum next time down the court by walking into a transition 3 to make it 40-25.

The Dons weren’t done, though, answering with a 9-0 run, with last season’s BVAL West Valley Junior of the Year, senior Jayvohn Johnson, closing it to a two-possession game by drilling a 3 to make it 40-36.

“We’ve had probably three or four comebacks this year,” Del Mar head coach Mark Collins said. “So, I was aware of that, and they were aware of that; they knew that they could come back. I think we gassed out and were unable to rebound. They got some key rebounds that pretty much separated it.”

After a pair of free throws from El Camino senior Trevor Mijares, and a pull-up 15-foot jumper from Ledesma, Johnson gave it one last-gasp try. To cap a game-high 19 points, Johnson hit a short baseline jumper to make it 44-36.

But Jacques responded with a flurry, getting to the line to make 1 of 2 free throws, then getting the ball back in his hands for to draw some hard dribble-drive contact while powering for the and-1 layup, punctuated by a fantastic yawp while sprawled out on the floor. Jacques then sank the free throw as part of a 10-0 El Camino run to close out the contest.

With the win, El Camino earns the chance to play a back-to-back. The Colts travel to No. 7 Saratoga for a second-round showdown Saturday at 7 p.m.

“It actually helps us,” Egipto said of the back-to-back. “Because sometimes between the two (games) is too much time, I guess, in between the ears. But for the most part, we’re ready.”