REGION — With La Costa Canyon forward Travis Fuller being taken to the hospital after being poked hard in his eye and the Mavericks in a dogfight against a game Santa Monica High team, fellow seniors Tommy McCarthy and Brady Twombly rose to the occasion.
The duo combined for 68 points on opening night of the Under Armour Holiday Classic, thrilling the home crowd as the Mavs turned a close game into a blowout, winning 88-71 in National Division play.
“With Travis getting hurt, we knew that it would take a team effort to pull it out, Santa Monica is a tough team,” said the Harvard-bound McCarthy, who scored a game-high 35 points. “Everyone contributed to this win, it was a true team victory.”
Tied at 38 at the half, McCarthy and Twombly exploded after halftime, each with a pair of personal 10-0 run that stretched the lead to a comfortable 13 points halfway through the third, and the Mavericks were cruised thereafter.
Twombly, who has signed with Northern Arizona, scored 33 points and corralled 8 rebounds.
Fuller, who will play college basketball at Brown University, suffered a hyphema and a scratched cornea and will miss the rest of the tournament.
LCC advanced to a quarterfinal date with The Patrick School, a perennial New Jersey power.
Another local team, Torrey Pines, fell in its National Division game in front of a host crowd at Torrey Pines High School against Thomas Jefferson High School of New York by a final margin of 64-46.
Several other local teams played games in the tournament’s four other divisions.
Francis Parker fell 61-50 to Lakewood Mayfair High School after Monsoon star point guard Kendall Small, who is signed to Oregon, proved too tough for the Lancers.
Escondido, which led 41-35 at halftime, fell 77-60 to Sonora High of La Habra.
The Cougars, however, got solid efforts from its standout trio, senior Khy Kabellis and juniors Marcus Hentley and Keegan Cummins.
In Senator’s Division play, Carlsbad Army and Navy Academy and El Camino were victorious in its openers.
The Warriors defeated Mater Dei Catholic of Chula Vista 67-39 as sophomore forward Richard Polanco erupted for 37 points, including a stretch where he hit seven consecutive three-point baskets.
El Camino defeated Roosevelt of Washington 67-59 behind standout efforts from Sean Birk and Sam Bockman.
Governor’s Division play at Carlsbad High saw the host Lancers and Poway High fall to California High of Whittier and Murrieta Valley High, respectively.
