Sports

Mustangs on to second round

By VALERIE DETWILER

VALERIE DETWILER / The Valley Chronicle NOTHIN� BUT RIM: West Valley�s Eric Lawton dunks the ball in the fourth quarter of the Mustangs� first-round playoff game versus La Serna on Wednesday at West Valley High School. The Mustangs defeated the Lancers 73-45. Lawton finished the game with 19 points.

The Valley Chronicle

West Valley High School boys' basketball's first-round California Interscholastic Federation playoff game verses La Serna High School resembled more of a dunking contest than a basketball game - and the Mustangs, it seemed, were the only competitors.

The Mustangs, which improved their record to 29-3 with the win, handled the Lancers fairly easily, defeating them 73-45 at home Wednesday.

�It'd be a shame to be 28-3 and go home early,� said head coach Chuck Peebles of the win. �At this point, it is like a single-elimination tournament.

�We're off to a good start in playoffs. But it's just going to get harder, tougher, and tighter from here.�

The game started with West Valley taking advantage of its fast breaks and dunking. West Valley's first 10 points of the game came from fast breaks ending with showstopping dunks. Eric Lawton had three, and Joseph Burton had two.

�You can always count on Joe and Eric to bring their A-games,� Peebles said. �Every single night, they come out with the same intensity and the same passion.�

Peebles said taking advantage of the fast break is something that he coaches.

�We teach that, when that (the fast break) is there, to take advantage of it,� Peebles said. �We like to get those easy baskets and set a tone for the game.�

Peebles said he has the right personnel with the right skills to be able to make the game exciting with the fast breaks.

�I have a great outlet passer in Joe (Burton), a great decision maker in John (Balwigaire), and a great finisher in Eric (Lawton),� he said.

Lawton said his teammates' passes make it easy for him to decide whether to dunk.

�When I get the fast break, I really look forward to the dunk,� Lawton said. �My teammates pass me the ball at just the perfect time so that I can dunk it.�

La Serna had trouble getting the ball inside, which is a problem that most teams have against West Valley with 6-foot-8, 285-pound Burton dominating the center position.

The Lancers didn't seem to have an outside shot either, with Balwigaire and Lawton applying pressure to La Serna's point guard and wing players.

The Mustangs ended up taking second place in the Sunbelt League, losing only to Perris High School.

Peebles said the Mustangs lost by three at home and five away.

�We recovered well from that though,� Peebles said.

The Mustangs will take on Rowland, of Rowland Heights, at 7:30 p.m. today at West Valley in the second round of playoffs.