La Quinta Tournament : Huntington Beach Wins Preview : Oilers Defeat League-Rival Edison in Overtime, 60-56
Had it been left up to them, Huntington Beach High School Coach Roy Miller and Edison Coach Jon Borchert would have preferred to wait until a Sunset League game on Jan. 15 to see how their teams would fare against each other.
But fate and a tournament drawsheet intervened, putting the Oilers and Chargers on the same court about a month ahead of schedule. They played Friday night for the championship of the La Quinta Tournament. And if this preliminary was any indication, the main event could be worth waiting for.
Huntington Beach saw a lead it held most of the game slip away in the fourth quarter, then got it back in overtime to claim a 60-56 win to capture the tournament title at La Quinta.
Scott Moberly worked inside for an easy basket with 27 seconds left in the overtime period to give the Oilers a 58-56 lead.
Edison had an opportunity to tie it when Huntington Beach’s Shane Pariseau missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity with 11 seconds remaining. The Chargers grabbed the rebound and hurried the ball into the front court, but Rico Vitz stepped in front of an errant Edison pass and lobbed the ball down court to a streaking Brian Bettis, who scored on a layup as the buzzer sounded.
The victory snapped Edison’s five-game winning streak and improved the Oilers’ record to 4-5. The Chargers (5-2) hadn’t lost since their season opener against Capistrano Valley.
Edison had an opportunity to win the game in regulation, after trailing most of the way. The Chargers took their first lead of the game with 2:46 left in regulation, on two free throws by Ken Ammann. Ammann then hit a 15-foot jumper with 1:21 left to give the Chargers a 53-49 lead. Moberly cut the lead to 53-51 with two free throws with 44 second left.
Pariseau scored the basket that sent the game into overtime, banking in a shot from 10 feet with 11 seconds to play. The Chargers then rushed the ball down court, but Rich Smith’s off-balance shot with four seconds left missed.
Huntington Beach had a 28-25 halftime lead, but Mike Henderson came off the bench to help Edison enter the fourth quarter with the game tied, 41-41. Henderson made all four of his third-quarter shots, including a layup with 19 seconds that he set up by stealing the ball near midcourt.
Pariseau finished with a game-high 18 points. Moberly added 14. Ammann and Chris Cole led Edison scorers with 15 points each.
HUNTINGTON BEACH (60)--Pariseau 18, Kao 5, Pemper 12, Moberly 14, Vitz 3, Bettis 4, Gaspar 2, Jensen 2.
EDISON (56)--Ammann 15, Katona 2, Marguiles 2, Smith 11, Cole 15, Prince 1, Henderson 10.
In other La Quinta Tournament action:
El Modena 63, La Quinta 51--Ryan Rycraw had a game-high 22 points and Jason Hamlin added 18 to lead the Vanguards to the win in the third-place game. La Quinta pulled to within nine three times in the fourth quarter, but could get no closer. Arri Buford led the Aztecs with 14 points.
EL MODENA (63)--Ervin 4, Hamlin 18, Ahart 5, Rycraw 22, Matlock 4, Steingraeber 4, Coghill 2, DeFeo 4.
LA QUINTA (51)--Ramsey 5, Dennison 9, Lee 6, Whitcomb 13, Buford 14, Recktenwald 1, Jackson 2, Wilson 1.
Lakewood 35, Santa Ana Valley 33--Victor Valencia hit two free throws with six seconds to play to give Lakewood the win in the consolation championship.
SANTA ANA VALLEY (33)--Jamison 13, Johnson 4, Quinn 6, Acosta 2, Whitlock 6, Ross 2.
LAKEWOOD (35)--Cooper 13, Valencia 4, Wise 14, Ward 2, Chaney 2.