ORANGE COUNTY BOYS’ BASKETBALL : Fullerton Has Edge in Rematch

Buena Park High School’s 55-45 win over Fullerton in the Freeway League opener on Jan. 15 will have little bearing on tonight’s rematch scheduled for 7:30 in the Indians’ gym.

That’s because the home-court advantage makes Fullerton the favorite. The Indians are 15-2 on at home over the past two seasons. Their only losses came in overtime to Cerritos (this season) and Troy (last season).

There’s a simple reason for Fullerton’s success at home--the Indians love playing there, but visitors usually hate it.

Randy Forgette, Fullerton coach, refers to his gym as “The Pit.” It’s old, the lighting isn’t very good, and when there’s a large crowd (300 fans or more is large for this place), it can get pretty noisy. And the bleachers are just a few feet from the court, giving visitors a cramped feeling.

“The school has been here for about 90 years, and I think it’s the original gym,” Forgette said. “The bleachers are a real chore to get out, and the place needs a paint job, but it all lends character. I love playing there. Shooting depends so much on how players feel, and our kids feel much more comfortable at home.”

Fullerton, one of the favorites to win the league, opened with road losses to Buena Park and Troy but has since defeated La Habra, Sunny Hills and Sonora to improve to 3-2 (12-7 overall). The Indians are in third place behind the Coyotes (4-1, 8-9) and Warriors (5-0, 11-7).

Familiar surroundings still may not be too comforting for Fullerton’s leading scorer, Ralph Tallant, who re-injured his bruised hip in Wednesday night’s 56-26 win over Sonora and scored only two points. Forgette said the forward, who is averaging 16.5 points per game, will play, but he probably won’t be 100%.

Chris Zerga, a 6-foot 6-inch forward, is averaging 12 points for the Indians, while guard Mike Hetland is Orange County’s leader in assists, averaging 9 a game.

The Coyotes, coming off Wednesday night’s 57-51 win over La Habra, rely on their big front line of Mike Kotzin (6-8), Tony Toscano (6-7) and Shane Smith (6-3), who combined for 40 rebounds against the Highlanders.

In other Freeway League games, Troy (5-0, 11-7) is at Sonora (1-4, 3-13) and La Habra (1-4, 1-14) is at Sunny Hills (1-4, 3-12).