Fullerton Tournament : Graddy’s Flurry Helps Buena Park Gain Title, 77-69

The flurry started with 2 minutes 36 seconds left in the third quarter and his team trailing by a point. By the time Kevin Graddy was done, less than a minute later, Buena Park High School was ahead by five.

The Coyotes, behind Graddy’s six straight points, took control at that point and defeated the host Indians, 77-69, Friday night to win the Fullerton tournament.

Graddy, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player, led the Coyotes with 26 points, 10 coming in the third quarter.

“If we have patience, we can get the ball down low to Graddy and (forward Gary) Hunter,” Buena Park Coach Ken Bell said.

Buena Park is 4-3. Fullerton, which had won its tournament three consecutive seasons, is 5-3.

Hunter took over the scoring in the fourth quarter, when he scored 11 of his 19 points as Buena Park held off every Fullerton challenge.

“Defensively we broke down in our coverage of Hunter and Graddy,” Fullerton Coach Randy Forgette said. “They both had outstanding games. Graddy is a great high school player.

“We had a stretch in the fourth quarter when we hurried our passes into the post rather than take our time.”

The Coyotes, specifically swingman Dave Baylor, took Greg Wilbur out of the game in the second half.

Wilbur scored 12 points in the first quarter, but with Baylor hounding him in the second half, he did not score. In fact, Wilbur only got off three shots.

“We didn’t want Wilbur to light it up in the fourth quarter,” Bell said.

Alan Lewis, the Indians’ 6-foot 8-inch center, scored a team-high 16 points. He was hobbled with a sprained ankle and showed only flashes of his potential. He was no match for Graddy and Hunter inside.

Graddy made a variety of moves for his points. He followed missed shots, muscled inside for layups and pulled up for short jump shots in the lane.

About the only thing he did not do was shoot a free throw. Perhaps it was because he slipped past the Indian defenders before they could get near enough to foul him.

Hunter, too, scored on all manner of shots, including a pair of three-point jumpers early in the first quarter.

A moderately paced game turned into a fast-break fest in the second quarter.

Buena Park led at the end of the first quarter, 18-11. But in the second quarter, Fullerton ran up 26 points and Buena Park 23 and the Indians led, 41-37, at halftime.

Servite 84, Cerritos 58--Brian Kenney, a senior guard, scored 26 points to lead the Friars to the third-place championship. Nick Marusich, a 6-9 center, added the inside punch for Servite with 25 points.

Servite broke open a 19-14 first quarter by outscoring Cerritos, 27-9, in the second quarter to lead, 46-23, at halftime.

Lloyd Reid had 11 points to lead Cerritos.

Sonora 56, Garden Grove 41--The Raiders had four players score in double figures, led by Geoff Crow’s 15 points, to win the consolation championship. Grayle Humphrey, Scott St. Clair and Matt Recketnwald had 12 points each for the Raiders.

Sonora led, 26-19, at halftime and breezed the rest of the way.

Isadro Moldando and Ronnie Rhines had 10 points each for the Argonauts.