Katella:(W) 95-21

Laguna beach began the tournament with a substantial margin of victory over Katella. Blake Burzell scored 28 points followed by 18 point efforts by both Charlie Rounaghi and Grady Morgan. Katella could not keep up with the fast-paced breakers.

El Dorado:(W) 49-73

The Breakers continued their success by topping El Dorado by 24 points. Blake Burzell led the team with 18 points, Charlie Rounaghi scored 14, and Owen Mcmurray racked up 13 helping Laguna Beach to another convincing win. With two wins the LBHS basketball team advanced to the quarter-finals of bracket play.

El Toro: Quarterfinals (W) 54-55

The breakers barely came out with the victory against a tough El Toro team. Blake Burzell and Charlie Rounaghi led the team in scoring, Burzell with 22 points and Rounaghi with 13 points. After squeaking out a win the breakers advanced to the semifinals against Newport Harbor.

Newport Harbor: Semifinals (W) 64-52

The Breakers started slow, but with a combined 46 points from Blake Burzell and Owen McMurray, they were able to end with a strong second half. Newport Harbor managed to keep the game close in the 4th quarter. With 4 minutes to go, Laguna caught fire. The team made 4 three-pointers during the run, half by starting shooting guard McMurray. This success puts Laguna Beach in the championship game versus the Aliso Niguel Warriors.

Aliso Niguel: Championship (W) 59-55

4 years ago, Aliso Niguel beat the Breakers to win this tournament. By the way they played, it’s obvious Laguna wanted revenge. The breakers outscored Aliso in every quarter but one. In the third quarter, the Wolverines outscored the Breakers by 14. With 12 seconds left and the Breakers up by 2, Aliso attempted to inbound the ball to their 6’9” center. Freshman Nolan Naess jumped into action and intercepted the pass, securing the win. Blake Burzell was crowned tournament MVP with Charlie Rounaghi and Owen McMurray earning all-tournament team accolades.

Winning this tournament was a huge reassurance for the Breakers. They beat some of the best teams in the county, and in doing so, proved their dominance. They will look to keep their winning streak going and perform similarly when it is time for CIF.