Title teams crowned at CYBA finals
Bruins, Blue Devils and Tar Heels among first-place finishers

BIG WINNERS- Members of the Blue Devils celebrate winning the CYBA Boys 6 title last Saturday.

The Camarillo Youth Basketball Association held many of its title games last Saturday at Monte Vista Middle School.

Here's a look back at a few of the day's highlights.

Boys 6 championship

Blue Devils 51, Trojans 46

The Blue Devils jumped out to an early lead by dominating the boards during the first period. The Trojans later got dialed in and started chipping away at that lead through the rest of the game.

Late in the fifth period the Trojans pulled ahead with a onepoint lead. Blue Devil Jimmy Larimer quickly responded by drilling an outside shot to put his team back on top.

The Trojans were forced to foul as the final minute was ticking off the clock, and Blue Devil Kyle Ewing made two free throws with 2.2 seconds left on the clock, making the final score 51-46.

The Blue Devil offense was led by Ben Johnson with 19 points. Larimer added 17 points and Ewing had six. Outstanding play in the final period by Keith Kemper, Kevin Houx and Daniel Ondrejko helped secure the win for the Blue Devils. Wil Cervantes, Aaron Francis, Dave Herron and Sal Medina all played strong games.

FIRST PLACE- The Tar Heels won the Senior Girls division with a 27-23 victory over the Lady Vols.

Trojan head coach Stephen Schmidt and assistant coach Jeff Bricker said they were proud of their team. The Trojans caught fire late in the season and made it all the way to the finals.

The Trojan offense was led by Dylan Holland, who had 19 points and nine rebounds. Gabriel Duongtran had eight points and seven rebounds. Brooks Miller added seven points while Nima Malek had five.

Brandon Knupp, Chandler Lane and Justin Roach each scored two points with Troy Berquist adding one. Justin Roach was great under the boards with five rebounds. Josh Morris had one rebound and Josh Roach picked up a rebound and had a key steal during the game.

Boys 8 championship

Bruins 52, Blue Devils 46

The Bruins captured the eighth-grade boys' championship. After going undefeated in the regular season, the Bruins lost their first playoff game, but came back through the loser bracket to defeat the Blue Devils twice to capture the championship.

In a game that saw great offensive and defensive plays by both teams and many lead changes, the final score wasn't decided until the buzzer sounded, with the Bruins winning 52-46.

The Bruins were led in scoring by Andrew Sandahl, Cody Perris and Robert Tener. Evan Croker hit a key 3-point basket in the fifth period to spark a Bruin rally.

TJ Cabebe made four clutch free throws at the end to seal the victory. The hustle and defensive play of Matt Haney, Dennis Arteaga and Adrian De La Cruz was critical to leading the Bruins to victory.

Senior Girls semifinal

Lady Vols 32, Trojans 22

The semifinal playoff game for the Senior Girls turned out to be a close game. At halftime the Lady Vols were ahead 9-8.

The Lady Vols started pulling ahead in the third period and never looked back. Lady Vol Jenna Perham had a team-high eight points, while Rachel Schienbein and Katrina Geluz each contributed seven points. Erin Peterson added six and Madison O'Donnell logged four points. Dana Cleavenger was a strong influence on defense while Sheril Torbron, Diana Arteaga and Kristi Nishimori played well.

Alexis Neuman had a teamhigh eight points for the Trojans. Braylyn Blaise had six points; Claudia Rodriguez added four, and Shelby Parrish and Monica Ramos each added two points.

Senior Girls championship

Tar Heels 27, Lady Vols 23

In a close game that went down to the wire, the Tar Heels beat the Lady Vols to win the CYBA Senior Girls division.

The Tar Heels were led by Samantha McCarthy and Kimberly Flores, who had 11 points each and overcame a 10-point second-half deficit to clinch the title.

The Lady Vols jumped out to a 20-10 lead midway through the third period on the strength of Madison O'Donnell and Jenna Perham's inside scoring. But the Tar Heels' defense, led by Jenna White, Evelyn Galvan and Kelsey Trestor, stiffened and held the Lady Vols scoreless for the last seven minutes of the game.

The highlight for the Lady Vols came as Sheril Torbron scored the first basket of her CYBA career. The Lady Vols received scoring contributions from Sheril Torbron, Kristi Nishimori and Erin Peterson, as well as solid defense from Dana Cleavenger, Rachel Schienbein, Diana Arteaga and Katrina Geluz.

The Tar Heels' Alison Stymacher added four points. Hannah Michalak, Summer Anderson and Sierra Martinez also made key contributions for the champions.

- Information provided by John R. Becker