Orange League : Despite Some Foul Play, Savanna Defeats Valencia, 58-41 : Total of 53 Infractions Are Called as the Rebels Remain Tied in First

It was the kind of game that only the players’ mothers could love--assuming that the moms watching were tolerant of bad passing, poor shot selection, turnovers and missed free throws. And that was just on the winning side.

Friday night’s game between Savanna and Valencia high schools was a comedy of errors, as the Rebels won, 58-41, in Orange League action.

Fouls--lots and lots and lots of them--were the order of the evening in the Rebels’ gym, where the referees seemed to be blowing their whistles every second or third exhale.

A total of 53 fouls were called on both teams and five players fouled out, but not before spending much of the night at the free throw line missing opportunities.

The constant fouling was the key to the game because neither team could develop any offensive continuity, whether it was running or setting up a play.

Savanna (2-0 in league, 12-5 overall) set the tone early when it ran off the first 11 points--and that was only after four minutes had gone by. Valencia faced a strong full-court press by the Rebels from the outset and its inability to break it resulted in numerous turnovers which the Rebels quickly turned into points.

Valencia (1-1 and 9-6) was so upset by the press that it only managed two baskets in the first quarter, but it was saved from a blowout because the Rebels certainly did their share of turning the ball over and committing fouls.

Down 13-4 going into the second quarter, the Tigers didn’t panic, but instead managed to start scoring with consistency by working the ball around on offense until they found the open man. More often than not it was forward Geoff Adams, who finished with a team-high 13 points.

Adams got his points by weaving through the Savanna defense and then being fed the ball for layups, but other than Adams and reserve David LaRue (12 points), the Tigers didn’t have anybody who could consistently score.

Savanna, meanwhile, maintained an 8 to 10-point lead throughout the second quarter behind the all-around floor play of Tim Pittman, who led all scorers with 25 points. It was a Pittman shot at the buzzer--a fallaway jumper--that sent the Rebels into the locker room with a 28-14 lead.

Any hope that the quality of play would improve in the second half was squelched when the first outside shot of the third quarter by Valencia was an airball. That seemed to set a trend as four minutes went by before either team managed to score.

Valencia went on to outscore Savanna eight to seven in that period, but considering that it was still behind 35-22, there wasn’t much hope that it would go on to pull out the victory.

Both teams substituted liberally in the fourth quarter, but that was more out of necessity because of fouls.

After Pittman, Savanna was led by Alex Madas’ 11 points and Brad Veale and Trevor Hoffman scored 9 apiece.

VALENCIA (41)--Nakawaki 2, Jones 6, Adams 13, Jensen 2, Herrell 3, Larue 12, Hood 3.

SAVANNA (58)--Smith 2, Pittman 25, Madas 11, Veale 9, Hoffman 9, Koh 2. In other Orange League action:

Brea-Olinda 76, Anaheim 53--Center Kevin Walker scored 19 points and had 7 rebounds as the Wildcats routed the Colonists at Brea. The Wildcats (2-0 in league) led, 31-16, at halftime was never challenged.

Forward David Fox added 16 points for Brea, while Anaheim (0-2) was led by center Phil Garabedian, who had 19. There were 62 fouls called in the game, 35 on Anaheim and 27 on the Wildcats.

Brea meets Savanna, the other unbeaten Orange League team, Wednesday at Savanna.

ANAHEIM (53)--Buis 1, Van Alfen 6, Robuffo 7, Cowhig 2, Shively 3, Amador 4, Cabral 4, Garabedian 19, Trigg 4, Carmona 3.

BREA-OLINDA (76)--Jones 8, Francis 9, Malloy 9, Barcelo 4, Fox 16, Hartshorne 2, Walker 19, Tousey 9.

Western 78, Magnolia 56--Joe Burris scored a game-high 23 points and Chris Chase added 18 to lead the Pioneers to an easy win over the Sentinels at home. Western built a 62-31 lead in the first three quarters. Robert Ryan led Magnolia scorers with 14 points, while Carlos Gonzales finished with 12. MAGNOLIA (56)--Ryan 14, Underwood 4, C. Gonzales 12, Vanuelos 4, Osuna 10, Ibarra 8, S. Gonzales 5.

WESTERN (78)--LaMorte 9, Joseph 7, Longmeyer 4, Burris 23, Chase 18, Allen 3, Bush 10, Cate 1, Hernandez 3.