CHAMINADE TOURNAMENT; RIORDAN QUIETS MOORPARK STAR CHAMINADE TO FACE S.F. SCHOOL.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

Todd Tomlinson didn't have another monster game for the Moorpark High boys' basketball team Wednesday in a Chaminade tournament semifinal game against San Francisco's Riordan. Tomlinson finished with a quiet 12 points and a glaring nine turnovers in the Musketeers' 55-53 loss on Orlando Hodges' buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

In a peculiar sense the loss - and Tomlinson's struggles - could be a benefit down the road.

Obviously Moorpark will gladly take more 45- and 35-point performances from Tomlinson, the kind he delivered earlier this tournament and is capable of doing every night.

But in a broader sense, what happened Wednesday was just as significant as another Tomlinson explosion. The Musketeers (10-2) stayed close, and even led most of the way against a quality team despite their star's trouble. For a team with big goals, the nagging question of who can step up when Tomlinson has an off night, this was significant.

"Riordan's a great team, and we were right there," said Tomlinson, who scored only two points in the second half. "We just didn't get the job done at the end. I didn't play well, but other guys picked up the slack and we had a chance to win."

Ryan Moser hit a layup in traffic to give Moorpark a 53-52 lead with 8 seconds left.

But Hodges,who finished with 16 points, nailed a running off-balance 3-pointer as time expired to put the Crusaders (9-3) into tonight's final against host Chaminade, which defeated Pleasant Grove of Utah 72-66.

Scott Borchart had 21 points and 12 rebounds for Chaminade, while Ryan Arceo had 19 points and Kevin Hufford 15.

Chaminade beat Riordan in the championship game last year.

Moorpark squandered a 47-39 lead in the fourth quarter, largely due to Hodges (seven points in the quarter) and Marquise Kately, who had eight of his 16 points in the period.

Jeff Illions had 15 points to lead Moorpark.

Kately, a rugged athletic forward, did a good job defensively on Tomlinson.

"It was tough to get open looks, he's a good defender," Tomlinson said. "And I forced some things I probably shouldn't have forced. But you have to give Riordan credit.

In other tournament games:

QUARTZ HILL 89, FAITH ACADEMY 78: Mychael Williams had 25 points and 10 rebounds as the Rebels (8-4) breezed in a fifth-place semifinal game.

Kevin Johnson added 20 points for Quartz Hill, while John Loftin had 12 and Tony Johnson had 10.

KENNEDY 61, EL CAMINO REAL 48: Dax Grooms had 23 points and 13 rebounds as the Cougars (6-8) beat the Conquistadores (4-6) in a consolation-round game.

El Camino Real, which played without Justin Saad-Anthony, who didn't show up for the game, got 13 points from David Ribido.

LANCASTER 71, VAN NUYS 40: Mike Wright had 18 points and Teddy Myers added 12 as the Eagles (6-5) easily beat the Wolves (0-12) in a consolation-round game.

J.P. Poticar had 18 points for Van Nuys.

PRIME-TIME PLAYERS

Boys' basketball

Eric Brown (Palmdale) 38 point

Josiah Johnson (Montclair Prep) 34 point, 15 rebounds

Brett Michel (Simi Valley) 32 points

Girls' basketball

Kate Beckler (Alemany) 27 points

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo: Moorpark's Ryan Moser (5) hit a layup for the lead with eight seconds left, but Riordan nailed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to reach the Chaminade tournament championship game.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

BOX: Prime-time players (see text)