Mountie Defense Thwarts Valley Christian, 87-56

SANTA MARIA —  Montclair Prep used a smothering defense Tuesday night to end the record-strewn prep career of Valley Christian Academy’s Chad Bickley, the state’s all-time three-point scorer.

Bickley made only three of 27 shots and finished with 11 points as the Mounties cruised to an 87-56 victory in a Division V first-round game of the Southern California regionals.

Montclair Prep travels Thursday to face Pasadena Poly in a rematch of last week’s Southern Section V-AA final, which the Mounties lost, 59-53.

Bickley’s final game featured a horrific shooting performance, the 6-foot-1 senior guard sinking only three of 22 attempts from three-point range.

“Akil (Anderson) covered him and did a great job,” Montclair Prep Coach Howard Abrahms said. “He made Bickley look like just another player.”

Anderson, a 5-9 junior guard, wouldn’t take all the credit.

“Fortunately for me I think he was cold tonight,” Anderson said. “I was told to stay all over him and deny him the ball.”

Bickley, who in December broke his own national record for three-pointers in a game with 21, missed his first five attempts and slumped into the locker room at halftime with a two-for-sixteen clip.

“I just couldn’t find it,” said Bickley, who is uncommitted on his college plans and departed with a state-best 507 career three-pointers. “I was really fatigued, I don’t understand (why).”

Montclair Prep (25-5) pulled away for a 35-27 halftime advantage and dominated the second half with its speed and harassing defense, outscoring the Lions, 52-29, in the final 16 minutes.

Five Mounties scored in double figures with Scott Stark scoring 15 of his 21 in the second half.

Reed Berglund added 19 points and Carlos Roubicek had 18 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.