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Pacifica Christian boys basketball team outlasts Centennial in Division 2AA double-overtime thriller

February 22, 2025

CORONA — Isaiah Rogers shouldered the blame.

After fouling out in double overtime, Rogers missed the final minutes as Centennial’s boys basketball team lost 84-80 to Pacifica Christian-Orange County on Friday night in a CIF Southern Section Division 2AA semifinal game.

“I wasn’t on the floor to help my team at the end. I’ve got to be smarter than that,” Rogers said.

The 6-foot-3 shooting junior guard had a team-high 27 points, but it wasn’t enough as Centennial (17-17) lost for just the second time at home this season.

“We showed some incredible fight and toughness to even send it to a second overtime, and then I had to figure out a lineup because everyone was fouling out,” Centennial coach Josh Giles said.

Junior C.J. Richardson made three 3-pointers to force the second overtime, and finished with 22 points in the loss for the Huskies.

“Definitely a crazy game,” Giles said. “Unfortunate for us.”

Rogers was 2 of 3 from beyond the arc in the first quarter as Centennial jumped out to a 20-8 lead.

Centennial junior forward Jaidyn Smith got into foul trouble in the second quarter, and Pacifica Christian got hot from deep to close the gap. Solomon Huang was 2 for 2 and both Michael Noel and Donovan Hogan hit 3s as the Tritons made it 36-34 at halftime.

“I feel like we lost the game in the second quarter, ” Giles said. “Smith, who is incredibly important to us, picked up his second foul and we had to take him out.”

E.J. Spillman took over after halftime, banging inside for 10 points as Pacifica Christian pulled ahead 50-48 to end the third quarter.

The lead changed hands three times in the fourth, and Noel sank a 3 from the corner off an inbounds play to tie the game at 63-63 and send it to overtime.

“We always seem to fight back and I reminded them, ‘You guys are tough. You have grit and you’ve been here before. Keep doing what they’re doing and eventually they’ll miss a few shots,’” Pacifica Christian coach Jeff Berokoff said.

Hudson Reynolds helped Pacifica Christian sprint out to a 73-66 in the first overtime before Rogers fouled out, and then Richardson suddenly could not miss. The Huskies point guard hit twice from deep before his game-tying 3 from the wing with 3.2 seconds left fell in to make 75-75 and force a second overtime.

“We went down and C.J., somehow, made his third incredible 3 in a row to try to save us,” Giles said.

Spillman, who was 9 of 22 from the field and 15 of 19 from the free-throw line, made six free throws and had eight of his game-high 33 points in overtime to help Pacifica Christian seal the win.

“He’s a load, and at the high school level he’s really, really hard to guard,” Giles said. “He causes so many problems because you’re not used to having to guard the post that aggressively from the guard position.”

Reynolds added 19 points, seven rebounds three assists, two steals and a block for Pacifica Christian (23-7), which has won nine consecutive games and advances to play Fairmont Prep in the championship game Friday, Feb. 28 or Saturday, March 1 at a site and time to be determined.

The semifinal-round appearance earns Centennial a spot in the upcoming CIF State playoffs.

Orange County Register

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Pacifica Christian boys basketball team outlasts Centennial in Division 2AA double-overtime thriller

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