CIF Division 2 Finals: Carlsbad 72, RBV 54
Aaron Burgin
<p>What a difference a month makes. </p>
<p>The Carlsbad Lancers entered Saturday's CIF Division 2 finals winning six straight and 12 of the 13 after losing three straight games between Jan. 4 and Jan. 11.</p>
<p>They made it seven in a row Saturday, soundly defeating top-seeded Rancho Buena Vista 72-54 to claim the D2 title, the school's first championship since 2000.</p>
<p>Carlsbad entered the playoffs as the No. 3 seed. They defeated Oceanside, Mount Miguel and Bonita Vista en route to the finals win at RIMAC Arena.</p>
<p>The Lancers winning ways coincided with junior point guard Jailen Nelson becoming eligible after the sit-out period in late December. The Sage Creek transfer scored a team-high 21 points to go with 7 rebounds and 7 assists.</p>
<p>Nelson and senior wing Carter Plousha helped the Lancers build a 17-point lead early in the game before the Longhorns cut the lead to 6, at 43-37 with 1:46 left in the third quarter.</p>
<p>But the Lancers regrouped and pulled away, pounding the smaller Longhorns on the offensive glass for second and third-chance points. Senior forward Brogan Pietrocini grabbed 13 rebounds by himself. </p>
<p>Plousha, who scored the Lancers first five points, finished with 14 points, including a breakaway slam that punctuated the victory.</p>
<p>RBV senior guard Patrick McLachlan, an All Avocado-East performer, led the Longhorns with 24 points and 11 rebounds. The Longhorns suffered a major blow when junior standout Noah Fields suffered a knee injury just before halftime.</p>
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