Senior Aiden Gilbert scored 22 points Friday night for Crean Lutheran.
Crean Lutheran’s boys basketball team had a team effort to defeat Pacifica 67-61 in the program’s first Empire League game Friday night in Garden Grove.
Leading the way was guard Aiden Gilbert, who scored 22 points and had some big baskets down the stretch.
Gilbert made a 3-pointer with 2:46 left to give the Saints a 61-58 lead and sank two free throws late in the game to push Crean Lutheran’s lead to six points.
Gilbert and his teammates said they know that every game in the Empire League will be a battle. In Friday’s game, Crean Lutheran fell behind 18 points in the first half before battling back.
“This league, we have to prepare for every game,” he said. “And we were kind of a little rattled, then kind of settled in and coach (Nate Klitzing) got us settled down and we started hitting shots.”
Gilbert said the Saints, who moved from the Academy League to the Empire League, have a clear goal for the season.
“We want to win league,” he said.
Crean Lutheran plays at Tustin Monday night in its second Empire League game.
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