Century League : Foothill Goes on a Run

Foothill High School scored 12 unanswered points to start the third quarter and erase a four-point Orange lead, as the Knights went on to win, 65-60, in the boys’ basketball Century League opener for both teams Friday night in the Foothill gym.

Senior guard Donny Jordan scored 4 of his 13 points in the 12-point run and also grabbed 3 rebounds as the Knights rallied from trailing, 31-27, to take a 39-31 lead before the Panthers scored again. During the run, Orange did little to help itself, missing four free throws and five field-goal attempts before senior forward Eric Dowell made a free throw.

After Dowell missed the second free throw, Foothill forward Mike Grahovac scored a layup and was fouled. When he completed the three-point play, Foothill had its biggest lead, 44-34.

Part of the reason for the Foothill comeback was a confused Orange team.

“We had two guys running a different offense than the other three,” Orange Coach Ed Graham said. “We had four guys playing one defense and one guy playing a different defense at the other end.”

Foothill continued to keep its lead at about 10 points through the rest of the third quarter and most of the fourth. Late in the game, the Panthers staged a slight comeback, aided by the Knights’ inability to make the front end of four one-and-one free throw attempts in the last three minutes.

Foothill’s Derek Johnson finally sealed the victory, making both free throws in a one-and-one situation with four seconds left. Orange had drawn to within three points, 63-60, with 10 seconds left on a layup by Dowell (19 points) before Johnson was fouled.

At the outset, Foothill got into trouble quickly as the Orange zone prevented the Knights from getting the ball inside to senior forward Alan Schlines.

After falling behind, 11-2, in the first quarter, the Knights employed a full-court press that enabled them to outscore the Panthers, 13-4, in the final three minutes of the first quarter.

As soon as the Panthers started to beat the press and get some easy baskets, the Knights switched back to a halfcourt game. And Once Jordan and Derek Johnson (17 points) started to hit from the outside, Schlines was able to get open closer to the basket. He was the leading scorer with 20 points, 12 in the second half.

Without any returning players this season, Foothill Coach Jim Reames was just happy that his team came out in the second half and played well.

“Our kids were worried at halftime,” he said. “I was surprised at the the run we were able to establish. But they came out and Jordan sparked them. I never thought we’d be this far along with what we have, but everybody just did a good job.”

Part of the reason for Orange’s troubles was the early play of senior forward Dave Roth. Expected to carry the team much of the time, Roth had trouble getting open for shots early and scored only 6 of his 15 points in the first half.

Foothill is 1-0 in league and 9-3 overall, while the Panthers fell to 0-1 and 6-6.

ORANGE (60)--Peterson 6, Holman 16, Adams 2, Dowell 19, Roth 15, Smith 2.

FOOTHILL (65)--Jordan 13, Johnson 17, Schlines 20, Grahovac 9, Kopcha 6.

Orange 15161019-- 60Foothill 15122117-- 65 In other Century League action:

El Modena 73, Villa Park 47--The Vanguards made 10 of 15 field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter to pull away. El Modena also made 19 of 25 free throws. Ryan Rycraw paced the Vanguards with 23 points. Darrin Defeo added 16 points, and Jason Hamlin had 15. Greg Burton was high-point man for Villa Park with 19.

EL MODENA (73)--Ervin 4, Hamlin 15, Ahart 4, Rycraw 23, Degree 5, Steingraber 6, Defeo 16.

VILLA PARK (47)--Burton 19, Carter 1, Tanner 8, Sipe 2, Stork 6, Carpenter 1, Creagan 4, Barnett 4, Smith 2.

Santa Ana 62, Canyon 58--Four Saints players, led by Scooti Lynwood’s 16 points, scored in double figures as Santa Ana held off the Comanches. Santa Ana took an eight-point lead after the first quarter and increased it to 13 at halftime, 39-26

SANTA ANA (62)--Lynwood 16, Stewart 14, Tuioti 2, Bailey 2, Lane 4, Joyce 13, Turner 11.

CANYON (58)--Garcia 19, Mury 4, Williams 8, Ream 8, Jones 4, Frye 2, Simpson 13.

Tustin 53, Santa Ana Valley 42--The Tillers got out to an early lead when the Falcons failed to make a basket in the first quarter, but they found themselves tied at the end of three quarters 28-28, before pulling away in the final period for the win.

Tustin (1-0, 7-4) got 10 points from sophomore forward Rog Middleton and 7 from junior Gordon Lay to take command late. Middleton was the leading scorer with 19 points, and Lay finished with 10.

Michael Whitlock was the leading scorer for the Falcons (0-1, 6-5) with 18 points. Both Santa Ana Valley points in the first quarter came on free throws.

SANTA ANA VALLEY (42)--Ross 7, Quinn 2, Whitlock 18, Johnson 1, Ngyun 2, Jamison 12.

TUSTIN (53)--Anderson 14, Urschel 2, Parker 4, Lay 10 Middleton 19, Parks 4.