Bradley Makes His Presence Known in Sea Kings' Victory

The Corona del Mar boys basketball team remained undefeated in the early stages of its season with a second consecutive victory in the Diablo Inferno tournament Wednesday night at Mission Viejo High.

The Sea Kings cruised past Capistrano Valley,  67-55, thanks, in large part, to the play of a relative newcomer.

Senior forward Marcus Bradley, a transfer from Beaumont, set the tone early. He used his 6-foot-6 frame to secure an offense rebound that led to a tip-in basket for Corona del Mar's first points of the game. Just a few possessions later, Bradley put his versatility on display by hitting a jumper from beyond the three-point arc.

Sea Kings coach Ryan Schachter said his newest starter has worked hard to become a more complete player.

"When Marcus first came to us he had only worked out of the low post," Schachter said. "But he's practiced on his perimeter game and developed some touch from outside, including from three-point range. He can do a lot of things because he is so athletic."

Corona del Mar established a slight cushion early, leading 16-12 after the first quarter, but played the entire second quarter without the foul-plagued Bradley.

Ahead 26-16 midway through the second quarter, the Sea Kings' offense sputtered and the Cougars took advantage. Capistrano Valley used a flurry of three-point field goals from junior Aleks Lipovic to cut its deficit to 28-25 in the final moments of the first half.

Cougars junior Stephen Short brought an eventful end to the half, and his evening for that matter, with an emphatic block of Corona del Mar's last-second lay-up attempt. Short lost a couple teeth during a collision on the play. Capistrano Valley headed into the locker room at intermission down three points and two teeth.

As Short headed to the exit and medical attention, fans of both teams gave him a standing ovation.

Danny Cheek, a recent Northern Arizona commit, came off the Sea Kings' bench after not playing the entire first half and immediately made his presence known in the second.

Cheek, a 6-4 swingman who transfered from Mater Dei two years ago, scored 11 points. He buried a dunk in the opening minutes of the third quarter and his quickness noticeably upgraded the Sea Kings' defensive tenacity as the team sprinted to a 47-33 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

Corona del Mar was never in danger during the final eight minutes, as Bradley and Cheek continued to put on a show. Bradley extended the lead to 16 with a rim-rocking slam before serving up a rejection on the Cougars' ensuing possession. The duo combined for 19 second-half points, with Bradley finishing with 20 points for the game.

Their coach is glad they eventually ended up wearing blue and silver.           

"They're great kids who work hard and show up to practice trying to improve," Schachter said. "Both are great teammates and we're happy to have them."

Senior point guard Clayton Ragsdale chipped in with 10 points and a handful of assists to help Corona del Mar reach the semifinals of the tournament, where a showdown with Upland awaits Thursday at 6:30 p.m..

Upland defeated San Juan Hills, 76-70, on Tuesday and Woodbridge, 76-60, on Wednesday. Schachter looks at the game as a potential measuring stick for his unbeaten squad.

"There is definitely some room for improvement. We've got to get better on the boards defensively and find some shooters," Schachter said. "We've got a big test against Upland, and we play them again later in the year. We're going to learn a lot about ourselves."