Santa Monica Goes Long With 2 Seconds Left to Edge Valley

One would think that losing nine of 15 basketball games this season would give Valley College Coach Virgil Watson plenty to ponder.

But after his Monarchs dropped a first-round game, 57-55, to Santa Monica on Thursday in the Rancho Santiago college basketball tournament, Watson was too busy playing sleuth to wonder what has gone wrong.

When the Valley team returned to its campus, guard Robin Andrews discovered his car was missing.

Of the sophomore’s missing vehicle, Watson said: “That kind of stuff makes the game not even half as important.”

Watson is also troubled by another important disappearance--that of Mario Lopez. It’s not that the 6-7 starting forward doesn’t show up for games, he just doesn’t stick around long.

“Of course, Mario fouled out,” said Watson after the loss to Santa Monica. He said it not with sarcasm, but with disbelief. Lopez left the game with 13 points and seven rebounds.

“I think he has fouled out of 10 of 15 games. And it seems that he always fouls out when we’re losing.”

The Monarchs were down by as many as eight but came back without Lopez and tied Santa Monica, 53-53, with less than a minute left. Then the Corsairs’ Anthony Williams stole an inbounds pass and scored. The Monarchs scored to tie the game again with about 30 seconds left.

Santa Monica erased 28 seconds before Williams unleashed a shot from 23 feet and “hit nothing but net,” Watson said. Williams ended the game with 10 points.

“We are a team that needs to get the ball inside,” Watson said. That usually means getting the ball inside to Lopez.

“When he’s not in there, we have to re-adjust and get the ball to somebody else,” Watson said. “It takes its toll.

“I think we played better late in the game than we did early on. But we did have to adjust to playing with Mario on the bench. Also, they tipped a few passes and that disrupted our offense. They played us in a zone defense and we’re just getting our zone offense together.”

Guard John Windham scored 12 points for the Monarchs and was the game’s leading rebounder with 10. Santa Monica’s Jason Woodruff was the game’s leading scorer with 14.

Valley will play Hancock today at 2 p.m. in the consolation bracket.

Trade Tech 75, Pierce 61--Pierce is still looking for the win that would better its record of last season. The Brahmas (2-10) won only two games last season--both forfeits.

Although the Brahmas had four players score in double figures, they were no match for Trade Tech’s Mike Brown and Jeff Martin.

Brown scored 21 points and Martin scored a game-high 23 to lead Trade Tech to a first-round victory. With the loss, Pierce moves into the consolation bracket of the tournament.

Tony Thomas, who made eight of nine field goal attempts, was Pierce’s leading scorer with 16. Andy Jercha, Cedric Purry and Brian Italia each had 10 points.

Foul trouble hurt the Brahmas in the second half. Trade Tech scored 15 points from the line after the half, while Pierce scored only one.

Purry was the game’s leading rebounder with nine. Pierce will play San Bernadino Valley today at 4 p.m. in the consolation bracket.

Santa Monica 30 27--57

Valley 27 28--55

SANTA MONICA--Woodruff 14; Williams 10; Nash 8, 4 assists and 6 rebounds; Fields 7; Parks 6, 4 assists and 6 rebounds; Huey 5; Bragg 3 and 6 rebounds; Mackenzie 2; Gray 2 and 4 assists.

VALLEY--Lopez 13 and 7 rebounds; Windham 12 and 10 rebounds; Harden 10; Andrews 10; Fontenette 4; Wright 2 and 4 rebounds; Lewis 2; Goodrich 2.

Trade Tech 32 43--75

Pierce 23 38--61

TRADE TECH--Martin 23 and 6 rebounds; Brown 21; Johnson 11; Spinner 8; Tillman 6 and 6 rebounds; Hastings 2.

PIERCE--Thomas 16; Italia 10 and 4 rebounds; Purry 10 and 9 rebounds; Jercha 10; Newton 6; Young 5; Goodall 4 and 5 rebounds.