ORANGE COUNTY PREP BASKETBALL : Freeway League : Buena Park Rallies to Beat Sunny Hills, 60-58

Gary Hunter made two free throws with a second remaining, giving Buena Park High School a 60-58 comeback victory over Sunny Hills in a first-round Freeway League Tournament game Tuesday night at Buena Park.

The victory keeps Buena Park alive in the first-ever Freeway League Tournament. The top three finishers will be the league’s playoff representatives.

Hunter drove the lane with the score tied, 58-58, with about five seconds left and was fouled on the shot by Sunny Hills’ Brian McCloskey.

“We put him at the low post because he’s our free-throw shooter,” said Buena Park Coach Ken Bell, who called a play designed either to get the ball to Hunter and attempt to draw a foul or to Shane Smith on the right baseline, who had not missed from that spot all night.

Smith had made a three-point shot from the baseline with 15 seconds remaining in the third quarter and Buena Park trailing, 48-37, which cut the lead to eight and began the Coyote comeback. He hit a shot from the same spot with 20 seconds left, making it 58-58.

Buena Park got the ball back with 17 seconds left when Sunny Hills’ David Chisum was called for a backcourt violation, the Lancers’ second such violation in a minute and their fifth turnover in the final 1:22.

Buena Park called a timeout, setting up the final play.

“I’m just really proud of our team,” Bell said.

Hunter, who averages 19.3 points a game, was held to only one field goal and finished with 12 points. Coyote Kevin Graddy led all scorers with 19.

Sunny Hills (11-11), which was outscored, 12-2, in the final 3 1/2 minutes, had the ball and a two-point lead with 1:22 remaining. But Chisum, who scored a team-high 18 points, was called for an offensive foul, turning the ball over.

Sunny Hills opened up a six-point lead just before halftime, outscoring Buena Park, 10-2, on a basket and a three-pointer by McCloskey, an Eric Carpenter three-pointer and a follow shot at the buzzer by Chisum.

Sunny Hills then scored the first six points of the third quarter, taking a 12-point lead.

Buena Park (13-11), which finished league play 4-6 and tied for third with Sunny Hills and Sonora, advances to a semifinal game at first-place finisher Fullerton at 7:30 tonight.

Sonora 83, La Habra 60--David Morris scored 23 points and Scott Goldfarb scored 17 points and had 12 rebounds to lead Sonora (9-13) in a first-round tournament game at Sonora. The Raiders play second-place finisher Troy in a semifinal game tonight at 7:30 at Troy. La Habra is 3-16.