Boys Basketball defeated Oxnard High School Saturday Night, 60-56, to advance to the CIF Southern Regional Finals, a first in school history, where they will play the Lancers of Orange Lutheran High School. Entering this game, the Tritons were 25-9 and the Yellowjackets were 31-3 and went 14-0 in the Channel League. Sophomore EJ Spillman, who currently holds offers from Pepperdine University, Portland University, and Fordham University led the scoring for the Tritons with 14 pts and five assists. BIG10 Northwestern commit Parker Strauss had 13 points, Senior Tanner Deal recorded nine points and Sophomore Logan Stewart added eight points and nine rebounds. 

Coming off a 48-38 win over King-Drew High School in the CIF Second Round, the Tritons seem to take that momentum straight into the first quarter. Scoring 21 points, the most in the first quarter this postseason, including the first nine points of the game, forced a timeout by Oxnard in the first 90 seconds. Oxnard would reply, scoring two back-to-back threes, as well as converting a 3-point play to keep the game within single digits. The Tritons would get the final 2-points in the first quarter to go up 21-12 heading into the second. 

Played in front of a sold-out gym, the remaining three quarters would be back and forth for each team, including a half-court shot made by Oxnard at the buzzer of the second quarter cutting the Triton's lead to eight, 33-25 going into halftime. The Triton's impressive first-quarter showing was proving to pay off down the stretch. While the Orange and Navy were never able to get past a 10-point lead, Oxnard was never really able to keep pace. The closest the game got in the second half was two points in the fourth quarter with 20 seconds left. One of the biggest plays of the game came only a second later with a Parker Strauss steal and layup that gave the Tritons a two-possession lead with just seconds on the clock. "That play was huge," said Head Coach Jeff Berokoff. "It really helped keep the momentum in our favor and make it a two-possession game"

Both teams would share a pair of free throws before, Sophomore EJ Spillman sealed Oxnards fate by making the back end of a double bonus, making it a four-point game with 3 seconds, 60-56, which would end up being the final score. 

Coach Berokoff credits the team's success this season to their dedication and genuine care for each other. "I am so proud of these guys, my coaches, everyone on staff who is helping make this possible, said coach Berokoff.  "I am especially proud of the guys, each guy truly believes that the most important guy on the team is the teammate standing next to him"

This has been a historical season for Coach Berokoff's Team. Securing the first ever outright San Joaquin League Title, qualifying for the post-season for the seventh year in a row, reaching the state tournament for the third time in seven years, setting a program record for wins in a single season (26), going 12-0 at home, and now reaching the CIF Southern Regional Final, the first program to do that in Pacifica history. 

The Tritons will face crosstown rivals Orange Lutheran, this coming Tuesday at Orange Lutheran, tip-off is 7:00 pm. 

Tickets will go on sale shortly.