NEWPORT BEACH – Defense, contributions from the reserves and the consistent play of EJ Spillman helped return the Pacifica Christian boys basketball team to the CIF Southern Section semifinals.
The Tritons beat San Juan Hills 54-38 on Tuesday in a Division 2AA quarterfinals playoff game at Pacifica Christian High.
San Juan Hills center Mason Hodges, left, comes up empty as Pacifica Christian forward Logan Stewart grabs the rebound in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills center Mason Hodges, center, bumps Pacifica Christian guard Hudson Reynolds, left, as he tries to get to the basket and is called for a charging foul in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian guard Hudson Reynolds, center, grabs controls the rebound late in the fourth quarter against San Juan Hills in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian guard EJ Spillman takes a jump shot to score over a San Juan Hills defender in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian players, including guard Sammy Gibbs (1) and forward Charlie Hall (12) celebrate after winning the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoff against San Juan Hills in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian guard Durham Pelinka, right, hugs guard Joaquin Rigdon as they celebrate winning the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoff against San Juan Hills in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian guard Hudson Reynolds is fouled as he tries to score against San Juan Hills in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian forward Logan Stewart puts up a shot against San Juan Hills in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian coach Jeff Berokoff, left, signals his team as he talks with guard Owen Connell in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian guard EJ Spillman drives around San Juan Hills guard Trey Webb as he runs down the clock late in the fourth quarter in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian guard EJ Spillman, right, drives hard around San Juan Hills forward Jake Strand to get to the basket in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills guard Rocco Jensen looks for a way to penetrate the Pacifica Christian defense in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills forward Jake Strand, right, loses control of the ball under pressure from Pacifica Christian guard Solomon Huang in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian forward Logan Stewart, center, gets a shot over San Juan Hills defenders in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian fans go wild as their team maintain their lead over San Juan Hills in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian guard Owen Connell passes the ball during the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs against San Juan Hills in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills guard Adam Aziz, right, is tied up by Pacifica Christian forward Logan Stewart in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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San Juan Hills center Mason Hodges, left, comes up empty as Pacifica Christian forward Logan Stewart grabs the rebound in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal boys basketball playoffs in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacifica Christian (22-7) will play at Centennial of Corona (16-16) in the semifinals Friday. Centennial defeated Camarillo 72-51 in a quarterfinal game Tuesday.
By advancing to the semifinals Pacifica Christian has qualified for the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs.
San Juan Hills’ season ended with a 21-10 record.
Pacifica Christian lost to La Mirada in a CIF-SS semifinal two seasons ago. As a semifinalist, those Tritons qualified for the regional playoffs and beat Orange Lutheran in a Division II championship game before losing to San Joaquin Memorial in a CIF State championship game.
The Tritons on Tuesday, playing a 2-3 zone, held San Juan Hills senior Mason Hodges to 13 points. He went into the game averaging 25 points a game.
San Juan Hills shot 14 of 42 from the floor, 7 of 28 on 3-point tries.
Pacifica Christian was 18 of 44 on all shots, 7 of 13 on 3-point attempts.
Spillman, a senior, scored a game-high 16 points with five rebounds. Just as importantly, his ball-handling skills were essential to the Tritons’ ability to break the San Juan Hills press. He would bring the ball quickly to the midcourt stripe and unleash a pass to an open teammate to his left or right, leading to either a layup or an opportunity to set the offense.
The Tritons beat San Juan Hills in December, 78-59, in The Classic at Damien tournament.
Spillman, a quick-and-thick 6-foot-4 guard, said the Tritons were well prepared for Tuesday’s game.
“We came out with a lot of energy,” he said. “We didn’t want this to be our last game. We played them earlier this year, so we watched that game a lot of times and knew what to do.”
The game was tied 10-10 at the end of the first quarter. Sophomore reserve guard Joaquin Rigdon made a 3-pointer and Spillman followed with a 3 and the Tritons were ahead to stay.
Pacifica Christian had a 27-23 lead at halftime.
Hodges made a 3 to start the third quarter to cut the Stallions’ deficit to one point, 27-26, and his 3 early in the fourth quarter also dropped the Pacifica Christian lead to one point, 37-36.
Rigdon, who finished with 12 points made a 3-pointer to launch a 17-2 run for the Tritons.
Logan Stewart scored eight points with eight rebounds for Pacifica Christian. Austin Brinker added eight points for the Tritons.
Tritons coach Jeffrey Berokoff said his team is playing its best at the best time to do so, which he said Pacifica Christian needed against San Juan Hills.
“They’re a good team,” Berokoff said. “Hodges is very good and we felt that their No. 4 (senior [point guard Adam Aziz) really makes them go. Our guy Hudson Reynolds did a great job on him and we tried to hunker down on Hodges.”
Pacifica Christian was No. 8 in the Orange County rankings at the end of the regular season. San Juan Hills was No. 12.
“We’re playing great ‘D’ at the right time,” Berokoff said. “I’m really proud of our guys. What a fun team.”
