Sports
Islanders Claim Title Behind Hebert's 30 Points
Coronado's boys basketball team sweeps all four games at Xtreme Glass tourney, edging host Sweetwater in the final.
Daniel Hebert scored 30 points, including a clutch three-pointer down the stretch, and Justin Hebner added 24 points and earned tourney MVP honors as Coronado High captured the Xtreme Glass Holiday Invitational championship Thursday night by edging host Sweetwater 82-76.
Hebert also had seven assists and three steals and was named to the all-tournament team, along with Hebner, who had 73 points over the four-day tournament as the Islanders won four straight times to improve to 7-3 on the season.
"We found our roles as a team, everything seemed to be clicking tonight," said Hebner.
The Islanders overcame a shaky start, being assessed a technical foul even before the game tipped off for dunking the basketball during warm-ups. After falling behind 7-0 early, Coronado found its scoring touch, drawing even at the end of the first quarter and taking a 39-32 lead into the half.
To start the second half, Sweetwater pressed the action with a full-court trap and the Red Devils converted several long three-point shots over the Islanders' zone defense. The pace, faster than Coronado is accustomed to playing, helped Sweetwater close the gap.
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Late in the third quarter, the Red Devils' Juan Sandoval stepped in to take a charge on an Islander breakaway and was hit with an inadvertent elbow, sending him to the floor where he hit his head. He had to be helped off the court with an apparent concussion and was later taken away by ambulance, a precautionary measure that is standard for any high school injury of this nature, said Sweetwater coach Jesse Aguirre.
The stoppage of play and a fallen teammate seemed to awaken Sweetwater, which regained its shooting touch to take a 73-72 lead midway through the fourth quarter. After several lead changes as the Islanders and Red Devils exchanged three-pointers down the stretch, Coronado took a one-point lead with under three minutes to go.
That's when Hebert took charge, literally, drawing a critical charge on a Sweetwater fast break to keep the game tied. The junior guard then came down the floor to hit a huge three-point shot, putting the Islanders up for good. Hebert finished the tourney with 83 points in four games.
"It took everything we had tonight as a team, said Coronado coach J.D. Laaperi. "It was the type of game we'd normally lose in the past. It felt great to finally capitalize with a tournament championship."
