Prep Boys Basketball: Rancho Bernardo High snaps skid against Del Norte

JJ Overton is sure loving the fast-paced style of basketball first-year coach Marc Basehore has Rancho Bernardo High playing this year. And it was easy to see why on Saturday night.

Overton scored a game-high 22 points, including five 3-pointers, and the Broncos led by as many as 18 before holding on for a thrilling 67-62 victory over rival Del Norte in front of a packed gymnasium at the school.

Rancho Bernardo played fast and furious the entire way and was able to build a big enough lead early to overcome the Nighthawks outscoring them 25-12 in the fourth quarter.

“We absolutely want to make every game a track meet,” said Overton, a 6-foot-4 sophomore guard. “We want to play with a fast tempo, but we also want to be under control.”

The Broncos’ victory snapped a three-game losing streak they had against the Nighthawks over the last two years. It was also a homecoming of sorts for Basehore, who spent the last five years as an assistant coach at Del Norte.

For the first time this season, he had his entire roster at his disposal and he wasn’t shy about using it. He made substitutions about as quickly as the Broncos got up and down the floor.

“I think we are very athletic, long and we have depth,” Basehore said. “We have a lot of guys that can play and it is my job to take care of the substitutions ... We want to keep guys fresh and keep up the fast pace...”

Senior wing Devin Goodloe added 18 points, including three 3-pointers and a one-handed jam in the final seconds for the Broncos, who led the entire way. Transfer L.J. Crouch played in his first game since becoming eligible, scoring 11 points, including two 3-pointers.

Del Norte was led by Garrett Eddy’s 15 points and Conner Nelson’s 13. The Nighthawks hit eight 3-pointers in the game, including three by Nelson. The fourth-quarter charge was led by Eddy, who scored 13 of his 15 in the final period.

“I am so proud of the guys,” Nighthawks coach Bob Spahn said. “They showed a lot of heart and guts out there. Our guys grew up tonight and this is absolutely a building block for us.”

The Broncos led 40-30 at halftime and then stretched the lead to 55-37 in the third quarter. But the Nighthawks battled back, holding Rancho Bernardo without a field goal for over a five-minute stretch in the fourth quarter.

After a 17-2 run, Del Norte was suddenly within three with 1:58 to go. A pair of Broncos baskets ballooned the lead back to seven, but Eddy converted a three-point play to pull the Nighthawks within four with 44 seconds left.

After a Broncos free throw put them up five, Eddy again had a chance to convert a three-point play with 10 seconds left. But this time he missed the free throw and Goodloe grabbed the rebound and put the exclamation point on the win with a one-handed jam.

“They played extremely hard and we played extremely hard,” Basehore said. “I am glad we were able to get the win at the end.”