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Boys’ Basketball: Stone in zone for CdM

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IRVINE — Before Corona del Mar High’s basketball game on Friday, Coach Ryan Schachter said he had a little talk with Max Stone. The talk involved him talking smack to his best shooter.

“About his lack of shooting prowess,” Schachter said is what he discussed with his guard. “I was mostly teasing him, but he took it personal. He hasn’t made more than [six three-pointers in a game this season].

“He was mad, though. I didn’t think he’d get mad.”

The talk fired up Stone. He came out determined in the Sea Kings’ game at Beckman.

Whenever Stone pulled up behind the arc, he buried his shot more than half of the time. He made his first four threes in the first quarter.

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By the end of the third quarter, Stone had a career-high eight three-pointers and 30 points, outscoring the host team by himself. He got the last word in with his coach.

Schachter could laugh after Stone walked off the court, hitting his final shot, a three, with two seconds left in the third. Stone sat the entire fourth quarter, watching CdM rout the Patriots, 79-37, in a Pacific Coast League game.

“I wanted to go back in,” said Stone, who made eight-of-15 threes. “We were up by a lot. I could understand [why he didn’t put me back in].”

The Sea Kings didn’t need Stone after he helped them improve to 2-0 in league play. He put away Beckman with his lethal shot, making almost as many as the Patriots did in the game.

The second league contest for CdM was a laugher, much different from its opener earlier in the week. The game at Irvine went to the wire, with the Sea Kings coming back for a 59-54 victory.

They expect a similar close game when they play host to Northwood on Tuesday. Northwood is one of the league favorites, along with CdM, which is 12-7 overall and ranked No. 6 in the CIF Southern Section Division 3-AA poll, and Woodbridge, the defending league champion.

“They’re good,” Schachter said of the Timberwolves, who in Schachter’s eyes, also have the best coach, Tim O’Brien, in the league.

One of O’Brien’s former players from when he coached at Estancia was scouting CdM. Agustin Heredia, who played for O’Brien during the Eagles’ CIF Southern Section Division 3-AA championship season in 1989-90, attended the game at Beckman.

Heredia has scouted for the Sea Kings this season, but his allegiance to O’Brien is strong.

“Heredia wouldn’t go scout Northwood for me,” Schachter said of the Timberwolves’ home game against Irvine on Friday. “I’m going to have to fire him.”

Schachter was of course joking. Whatever notes and footage Heredia gives O’Brien, Stone will most likely be the focus.

The senior can shoot from anywhere on the court. From the corner, the wing, the top, Stone kept drilling shots against the Patriots.

At halftime, Stone had 22 points and six three-pointers. His team led, 38-15, and CdM was on its way to its highest-scoring game of the season.

Everyone on CdM’s roster seemed to score, as 12 players recorded at least a point. Blake Flamson was the only other CdM player in double figures, finishing with 11 points.

“Even our last five were out there competing, diving on the floor, blocking shots, rebounding,” Schachter said. “That just tells me that we’re starting to do some good things, even the guys on the bench are buying into what we’re trying to do.”

What CdM did against the Patriots (7-12, 0-2 in league) was pressure them, making it difficult for them to advance the ball past midcourt. The defensive effort by CdM led to easy baskets in transition and wide-open looks for Stone.

Late in the opening quarter, Stone came up with a steal in the Patriots’ end. Instead of attacking the basket, Stone pulled up for a three and drained it. It was his fourth three. He just couldn’t miss in the first quarter.

In the next two quarters, he cooled down a little. When Stone hit his seventh three, coming midway through the third quarter, he had a few words for Schachter.

“I got seven, coach!” Stone said.

“OK!” Schachter responded. “I got seven, too, one game [when I played in high school].”

Schachter never made eight threes in a game like Stone, though.

*

Pacific Coast League

Corona del Mar 79, Beckman 37

SCORE BY QUARTERS

CdM 25 – 13 – 27 – 14 — 79

Beckman 11 – 4 – 11 – 11 — 37

CdM – Stone 30, Flamson 11 Manchester 8, Olson 7, Hanna 5, Grable 4, Fults 4, Corbin 3, St. Geme 2, Griffin 2, Bassler 2, Duncan 1.

3-pt. goals – Stone 8, Hanna 1, Corbin 1, Flamson 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – Lopp.

B – Yee 21, Shirvani 7, Wright 7, Wakefield 2.

3-pt. goals – Yee 5.

Fouled out – Weissberger.

Technicals – None.

david.carrillo@latimes.com

Twitter: @DCPenaloza

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