Freeway League : Sunny Hills’ Defense Helps Stop Sonora

Sunny Hills High School played intense man-to-man defense Wednesday night to upset Sonora, 54-41, in a Freeway League game in front of 1,000 at Sonora.

The Lancers’ defense caused the Raiders to shoot 18 of 53 (34%) from the floor and commit 20 turnovers. Sonora had won 14 straight league games, spanning three seasons.

The victory also moved Sunny Hills, Sonora, Fullerton and Buena Park into a four-way tie for first place in the league. Each has a 2-1 league record. Sunny Hills moved to 8-9 overall. Sonora fell to 5-9.

Dexter Jenkins led the Lancers with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The 6-foot 4-inch senior also had a fast-break slam in the third quarter that gave his team a 19-point lead. A minute later a basket by center John Fox put his team up by 21, the largest lead of the game.

Fox ended with 7 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. Forward Forrest Walson added 10 points and 6 rebounds.

Sunny Hills defense limited Sonora to seven points in the half, two in the first quarter. Sonora was 1 for 11 from the floor in the first quarter.

“We kept them from getting inside to (Mike) Samuelson,” Lancer Coach Steve White said. “When you hold a team to just seven points in the first half, no matter who it is, then you know all five of your guys are playing tight defense. Tonight we had five guys playing tight defense.”

Samuelson, Sonora’s leading scorer, finished with three points. Shooting mostly from outside the key, the 6-4 senior was 1 for 14 from the floor.

Sonora also ran into early foul trouble when starting guards Mike Euins and Faris Naber both picked up four in the first half. Raider Coach Paul Bottiaux was forced to shake up his lineup in the second half, already trailing 22-7.

“Seven points in the first half ought to tell the story,” Bottiaux said.