Orange League : Western Misses 12 of 16 Free Throws in Loss to Savanna

If free throws really are free, then why couldn’t Western High School buy one Wednesday night in its Orange League opener against Savanna?

Western made only 4 of 16 free throws in a 54-50 loss.

“I don’t have an explanation,” Western Coach Greg Hoffman said. “We work on shooting free throws as hard as anybody. We’re shooting 68% as a team, and we can’t make a free throw in our own gym.

“We’ve lost every ballgame this year because we couldn’t hit a free throw. We played well enough to beat them, and if we make the free throws, we win easily.”

Western (10-4, 0-1) took a 24-11 lead in the second quarter but went cold from the field and eventually trailed, 25-24, early in the third quarter when Jim Priest scored for Savanna.

Priest continued to make the big plays for Savanna, hitting a 3-point shot that tied the score, 35-35, early in the fourth quarter and then padding Savanna’s lead to 45-40 on a jump shot with 2:38 remaining.

Priest and teammate Tim Tillman each scored 17 points for Savanna (15-1, 1-0). Sam Sabbara led Western with 24 points but made only 3 of 9 free throws.

“Over the last 10 games, Jim Priest has been our leader, and I thought he did a super job on (Joe) Romero,” said Tom Gregory, Savanna coach.

Romero, averaging 18.6 points per game, scored only 8. The 3-point specialist made 1 of 5 shots from 3-point range. No other Western player scored in double figures as the Pioneers were limited to their lowest scoring output of the season.

“It was an ugly win, but then it’s always an ugly game when you play Western, and that’s a compliment to them,” Gregory said. “Nobody plays harder than they do, and I knew we’d have problems handling their press.”

Savanna, which has routinely produced excellent point guards over the past 8 years, is a team in need of a ballhandler. The Rebels committed 22 turnovers against Western’s press.

Brea-Olinda 41, Valencia 33--Aaron Chamberlain scored 11 points and Matt Chamberlain 10 to lead Brea-Olinda (12-5, 1-0) at Valencia. The Wildcats trailed, 22-20, after three quarters but outscored the Tigers, 21-11, in the final quarter. Rudy Lopez scored 10 points for Valencia (3-7, 0-1).

Magnolia 50, Anaheim 47--Jurry Jones scored 11 points to lead a balanced Magnolia attack at Anaheim. The Sentinels (7-6, 1-0) trailed, 37-20, at halftime. However, they outscored the Colonists, 30-10, in the second half. Danny Castro scored 17 points and Jude Barbito 14 for Anaheim (7-7, 0-1).