CHARLIE NEUMAN / Union-Tribune
El Camino High's Nelson Rosario blocked eight shots, including this one by Helix's Donald McGowen (41).
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OCEANSIDE – Ray Johnson had an amazed look on his face.
“For a guy whose third-best sport is basketball, he's very dang good,” the El Camino High coach said after multisport standout Nelson Rosario led the Wildcats to a 65-58 overtime victory past Helix last night in the San Diego Section Division I quarterfinals.
Rosario signed a national letter of intent with UCLA for football. He could win as many as three individual events in the state track meet this spring.
But his 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocked shots were the difference as the No. 1-ranked Wildcats (27-2) escaped against a No. 8 Helix team that refused to surrender its section crown quietly.
Down by 15 at the break, Helix fought back behind Donald McGowen (a game-high 21 points), tying the game at 53 on McGowen's two free throws with 17 seconds remaining.
El Camino ran the clock down looking for the last shot, but the Highlanders (20-8) forced a turnover with five seconds remaining and looked as if they might win it as two players streaked toward the basket.
Rosario, a 6-8 high jumper, soared into the air and intercepted the long pass, forcing the overtime. The Wildcats quickly regained their composure in OT, getting the ball inside to Rosario and 6-8 Luke Evans, who finished with 14 points.
“I don't know how high I jumped. I just know it was high enough,” said Rosario. “I told myself we were not going to lose even though I was getting tired. We just buckled down and got the job done in overtime.”
Part of the Wildcats' problem was that Rosario and Evans played for most of the second half with four fouls each, allowing the emergence of Helix's 6-8 junior Levine Toilolo, who finished with 15 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. An impressive 13 of them came after intermission.
In the overtime, however, it was clear Helix had spent all of its energy catching up. When McGowen fouled out with just under a minute to play, it was also clear the Wildcats would be advancing to Tuesday's semifinals, where they'll host La Costa Canyon.
“(Helix) did a heck of a job in the second half,” said Johnson, the section's all-time leader in coaching wins who was facing John Singer, the No. 2 coach on the list.
“That might be the worst third quarter we've played this year but we had that extra gear in overtime.”
Steve Brand: (619) 293-1854; steve.brand@uniontrib.com
