Sierra Vista boys down Coronado

With his team racking up numerous first-half fouls, Sierra Vista boys basketball coach Kent Johnson decided to dial back the defensive pressure.

It nearly cost him.

Coronado opened the second half with an 18-5 run to take a two-point lead before the Mountain Lions reasserted themselves and came away with a 73-59 home win Thursday.

"They made a big run on us because we were being way, way, way too passive," Johnson said. "The style that we've been working on for months is attacking, and we kind of got away from it."

Coronado led 46-40 after a 3-pointer by Adam Schmitt with 47 seconds left in the third quarter. But Maiscei Grier hit a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left in the period to help start the Sierra Vista rally.

Grier and Viko Noma'aea had combined to score 28 of Sierra Vista's 34 first-half points. But Coronado went to a triangle-and-two in the second half, limiting the duo's touches.

A rebound bucket by Michael Louder gave the Cougars a 50-45 lead at the end of the third quarter, but Sierra Vista wasted no time seizing the momentum.

Noma'aea hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth, then assisted on a basket by Justice Odabi that tied the score at 50.

Noma'aea hit a free throw with 4:26 left to give Sierra Vista a 53-52 lead, and the Mountain Lions didn't trail again.

Noma'aea had nine of his 21 points in the fourth quarter. Grier was 4-for-5 on 3-pointers and led all scorers with 29 points.

Louder led Coronado with 19 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots.

Contact prep sports editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4587.