GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Late Shot Saves Rancho Alamitos

It would be considered a challenging shot--if you happened to be playing a game of H-O-R-S-E. It would be an impressive shot--if you were playing hoops on the driveway. But to the 200 or so screaming fans at Rancho Alamitos High School Wednesday night, it was a shot to go down in Vaquero history.

Eric Moore, a Rancho Alamitos reserve, lofted his slightly off-balanced, seemingly off-course three-point shot with 12 seconds to go. But the ball banked in, the crowd flipped out, and Rancho Alamitos had a 66-64 Garden Grove League victory over Pacifica.

“A crazy game . . . an intense game,” Rancho Alamitos Coach Eric Hamamoto said, shaking his head. “But you gotta hand it to that kid. He started the year on JV; we brought him up right before league.”

The victory was an important one. Going into the game, the teams were tied for first place in the league. Now Rancho Alamitos (12-3 overall, 6-0 in league) is the only undefeated team in the Garden Grove League. Pacifica is 7-7, 5-1.

While Moore’s shot proved the game-winner, it would have only been the tying shot had Pacifica not missed two consecutive one-and-one situations in the final minute.

And while Pacifica had 11 seconds to inbound the ball and score, it could not work out a scoring play, thanks to Rancho Alamitos’ smothering defense.

After two unsuccessful attempts, Pacifica’s Tim Whalen finally got the inbound pass to Mark Flatten, but Flatten’s full-court drive ended with a missed layup and Rancho Alamitos’ Tony Cortez got the rebound and the Vaqueros ran out the clock.

Rancho Alamitos used a full-court press to chip away at Pacifica, and it proved effective, especially in the fourth quarter. Rancho Alamitos’ 5-foot-8, 135-pound reserve guard Tuan Pham, who hit two consecutive three-pointers in the third quarter for his total of six points, continually pestered Pacifica point guard Larry Nagata, forcing several turnovers.

“Tuan played an incredible, tough game,” Hamamoto said. “But our whole bench was incredible. It was such a total team effort.”

Paul Preuss led the Vaqueros with 19 points, while Whalen had 16 to lead Pacifica.

“We hit two free throws, and we’re 6-0 and their not,” said Pacifica Coach Rhett Heckel, trying to rewrite the game to his liking. “I don’t know who that kid was who hit the three-pointer, but who banks in a three? Geez. . . . “

In other Garden Grove League games:

Los Amigos 64, La Quinta 53--Kenny Miller scored 17 points to lead Los Amigos (1-12, 1-5) at La Quinta. Wes Kollar scored 13 points for La Quinta (0-14, 0-6).

Kennedy 82, Garden Grove 52--Jim Barker had 26 points, eight rebounds and converted four of five three-point shots to lead host Kennedy (8-6, 5-1). Billy Williams had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Kennedy.