Roll Sparks Aliso Niguel

The Aliso Viejo Aliso Niguel boys’ basketball team got on a roll Saturday night in the Southern Section Division I-A final against top-seeded Lake Forest El Toro.

Michael Roll, to be exact.

Roll, a UCLA-bound senior, led an offensive barrage by the third-seeded Wolverines that stretched from late in the first quarter into the fourth, providing the momentum in a 67-60 victory in the Arrowhead Pond.

After his team fell behind, 13-2, in the first six minutes, Roll made a three-point basket, the start of a streak in which the Wolverines made 16 of 19 shots from the field, including 10 of 11 in the second quarter.

“I wasn’t getting the ball at the start of the game,” said Roll, who finished with 22 points. “But I knew what I was going to do once I got it, and that’s shoot it.”

That stretch only netted Aliso Niguel a 42-41 lead, as the Chargers also shot well, making 13 of their first 22 shots from the field.

But El Toro then went cold, missing nine of its last 10 field-goal attempts in the third quarter to fall behind, 50-44.

Terrence Green contributed 15 points and Xavier Gardener had 10 for Aliso Niguel (28-3).

Kelvin Kim scored 17 points to lead El Toro (25-6). Jonathon Johnson had 16 and Roman Yanez scored 14.

-- Dan Arritt