PREP BASKETBALL : Freeway League : After Quarter of a Century, Buena Park Wins Freeway League Title

Ken Bell was a student at UC Santa Barbara in 1960, the year Buena Park High School last won a league championship in basketball. Bell joined the Coyote staff in 1962 and is now in his 16th year as the school’s varsity basketball coach.

“This was my first job,” Bell explained. “I just never left because I never got it right.”

On Wednesday night, the Coyotes got it right. Their 51-44 victory over Sonora in the Buena Park gym clinched the Freeway League championship and gave the school its first league title in a quarter of a century.

This was cause for celebration, and Bell was right in the middle of it. After the final buzzer, he was lifted upon the shoulders of his players and carried to a ladder beneath one of the baskets. It was time to cut down the net, and Bell was more than happy to do the honors.

“I feel good,” he said as he accepted congratulatory hugs and handshakes, net draped around his neck. “We all got to enjoy this, and that’s what it’s all about.”

For a while Wednesday, it looked as if the celebration would have to wait. Sonora outscored the Coyotes, 13-5, in the first quarter and led until midway through the third period. Buena Park rallied to tie it a 37-37 after three quarters, then outscored the Raiders, 14-7, in the final period for the win.

Aurelio Solis had all 10 of his points in the second half, including six in the fourth quarter, to lead the comeback. Buena Park scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to take a 43-37 lead. From there, it was simply a countdown to the celebration.

“I think we decided in the second half we weren’t going to lose this one,” Bell said. “Solis came out and hit a few key shots. We changed our offense to get the ball to him more.”

The Coyotes also made a defensive adjustment to keep the ball away from Sonora forward Mike Samuelson. Samuelson made his first four shots and had 12 points by halftime. He was limited to a field goal and three free throws in the second half and finished with a game-high 17 points.

Buena Park’s offense was substantially more balanced. Omar Rodriguez (11 points) and Reggie Brown (10) joined Solis in double figures. Tony Toscano added 8 points and Joel Masinsin 7. It’s that balance that Bell said has been the biggest reason for his team’s success.

“This is the best group of athletes I’ve ever had,” he said. “We didn’t have to hide anybody. We didn’t have a real weak spot.”

Masinsin took an assist from Brown and scored inside to put the Coyotes ahead to stay, 39-37. He added a six-foot jumper with 6:31 to play to make it 41-37.

Toscano extended the lead to 43-37 with 6:03 remaining, hitting both ends of a one-and-one. Solis had a baseline jumper and four free throws in the final 3:36 to preserve the win.

SONORA (44)--Samuelson 17, Carbajal 1, Devereaux 10, Euins 4, Naber 5, Peterson 3, Humphrey 4.

BUENA PARK (51)--Brown 10, Solis 10, Rodriguez 11, Toscano 8, Masinsin 7, Kotzin 2, Ybarra 3.

In other Freeway League action:

Fullerton 60, Sunny Hills 45--Ralph Tallant had 14 points and 7 rebounds as the Indians clinched a playoff berth with the win at Fullerton. Fullerton (6-3, 15-8) took a 37-29 lead into the fourth quarter and made 13 of 15 free throws in that period to prevent Sunny Hills from making a comeback. Mike Lutz led the Lancers (3-6, 9-14) with 14 points.

SUNNY HILLS (45)--Carpenter 3, Lutz 14, Jenkins 9, Walson 6, Box 6, Benash 1, Silleta 2, Heathcote 3.

FULLERTON (60)--Carnesi 8, Tallant 14, Perez 2, Harrill 5, Hamblin 11, Boone 7, Zerga 7, Hetland 2, Wilber 4.

Troy 73, La Habra 51--Free throws made the difference for the Warriors as they won at La Habra. Troy shot 53 free throws and made 33, while La Habra made 11 of 18. Troy (5-4) led 40-23 at half. La Habra is (2-7, 7-14). Don Hamano led the Highlanders with 12 points from his guard position. Derek Stevens had 11 for La Habra.

TROY (73)--Edwards 8, Flynn 15, McGrath 14, Nelson 11, Nix 5, Picciotta 4, Reash 6, Welch 10.

LA HABRA (51)--Esparza 6, Stevens 11, Zaluske 3, Hamano 12, Martinez 3, Emrick 4, Atkins 2, Greathouse 2, Lightfoot 1.