Santa Margarita Pulls Together for 62-55 Win

Depth was a concern for Santa Margarita and Lake Elsinore Temescal Canyon heading into their boys’ basketball game Monday at the Martin Luther King Invitational at Riverside King.

One of Santa Margarita’s five returning lettermen quit the team last week and Temescal Canyon was without one of its four returning starters, Shane Hanson, who was ejected from a Southwestern League game Friday night against Temecula Valley and had to sit out Monday’s game.

Santa Margarita was able to hold off the Titans, 62-55, and build momentum heading into Friday’s Serra League game against visiting Santa Ana Mater Dei.

The Eagles (17-3) were coming off a loss in league play Friday to Bellflower St. John Bosco.

The next day, 6-foot-6 senior forward Ryan Stipher quit the team. Stipher’s departure leaves the Eagles with just one regular contributor over 6-4, James Keefe, a 6-8 junior forward who has committed to UCLA

“We really could have used him down the road,” Keefe said. “He has good size and, I think, is a good player.”

Temescal Canyon (16-1) had to make due without Hanson, a 6-6 junior and the most heavily recruited player on the team.

The Titans led by two at halftime, but Santa Margarita made nine of 14 shots in the third quarter to outscore Temescal Canyon, 21-7.

The Titans twice cut the lead to five in the fourth quarter, but each time Santa Margarita guard Chase Perkowski followed with a basket to stall the comeback.

Perkowski finished with 19 points and Keefe had 17 for Santa Margarita.

Matt Nunez made five three-pointers and scored 19 points for Temescal Canyon.

-- Dan Arritt

Top Performers

* Korbin McCarthy, La Puente Bishop Amat: Finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds in a 61-57 boys’ basketball victory over Chino Hills.

* Lauren Sims, Fullerton Troy: Sims had 25 points and four steals as the Warriors, ranked third by The Times, defeated No. 12 San Clemente, 64-35, in girls’ basketball.

* Erika Arriaran, Norco: Had 32 points, but ended a school-record streak of 23 free throws made, in a 63-52 girls’ basketball victory over Etiwanda.