Saugus High boys basketball got an early start Friday.
The Centurions departed at 12:40 p.m. for Dos Pueblos High of Goleta, an 87-mile trek, with hopes of arriving in time to shoot around at a local Boys & Girls Club or YMCA before a 7 p.m. tipoff.
Mother Nature had other ideas.
Amid one of Southern California’s strongest storms in years, the Centurions made it past Ventura when they learned the northbound Highway 101 was closed due to a mudslide. School officials felt detour options weren’t safe driving in the bus.
So Saugus and Dos Pueblos rescheduled the CIF-Southern Section Division 2A second-round game for Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
Due to road conditions on the way home, the Centurions didn’t arrive back at Saugus until 6:30 p.m. Friday, but coach Bill Bedgood found a positive.
“It gives us a little more time to look at film. The Wednesday to Friday is tough. You have one day to prepare. We felt good about our one day. We did a lot. But we feel even better having another night to look at some things,” said Bedgood, whose team beat Mark Keppel of Alhambra, 82-68, in Wednesday’s first round.
Rain kept some Santa Clarita Valley teams from getting even their first playoff games in.
Both Hart and Valencia boys soccer had their openers moved from Friday to Saturday due to rain.
Hart will play Cabrillo of Lompoc at 3 p.m. at Lompoc High (Division 4). Valencia will host Lakewood High at 1 (Division 3).
The Saugus boys soccer team managed to play despite the rain Friday, beating Highland of Palmdale 1-0. The game finished around 5 p.m., still before the boys basketball team returned to school.
“It was a nightmare drive, man,” Bedgood said.
In preparation for a 21-win Dos Pueblos team, the Centurions (18-9) plan to hold a shootaround this morning before departing for Goleta, located up the coast past Santa Barbara.
Bedgood believes his team is ready.
“They’re glad to be off the bus,” he said. “They’re really chomping at the bit to play.”
