EMPIRE LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Esperanza Puts the Clamps on Whitlock to Beat Loara, 64-59

Esperanza High School Coach Mark Hill couldn’t have picked a better position for Loara’s high-scoring guard, Tes Whitlock, to be in with a game undecided in the closing seconds. After all, even Whitlock, who averages more than 30 points a game, is helpless on the seat of his pants.

That’s where Whitlock ended up after turning the ball over while working for a game-winning shot Friday at Loara. Esperanza converted the turnover to all but seal a 64-59 Empire League victory. The victory keeps Esperanza (14-9 overall, 6-1 in league play) a game behind Los Alamitos.

With 34 seconds remaining and the game tied, 59-59, Esperanza’s Brett Evans made the front end of a one-and-one. Evans missed the second, Whitlock rebounded and raced upcourt. As he neared an Esperanza trap at midcourt, he slipped and lost the ball. Esperanza’s Seth Romans grabbed the ball and made a layup to give the Aztecs a 62-59 lead with 12 seconds left.

Hill called it the “critical play of the game.”

The rough ending may have been appropriate for Whitlock, who struggled throughout against Esperanza’s diamond-and-one defense. The 6-foot-2 junior guard, averaging 31.6 points a game, made just 4 of 18 shots and scored 17 points. Whitlock, who credited Esperanza’s defense, admitted he took some poor shots.

“I’ve just got to get open more,” said Whitlock, who made 1 of 9 field goals attempts in the second half. “And when I am open, I’m shooting off-balance.”

Credit that to the three Aztecs--Romans, Walter Forcatto and Matt Thimgan, who keyed on Whitlock throughout the game. “We did a great job (on defense),” said Hill. “Fortunately, he (Whitlock) wasn’t hitting tonight and he took some bad shots, which helped.”

Esperanza’s offense was led by Joe Foss, who had a game-high 25 points.

Early, it didn’t seem that the game would provide any drama as Esperanza raced to a 29-14 lead in the second quarter. But Loara (14-4, 3-3) began hitting from the outside, making seven three-point baskets in the first half, and took advantage of numerous Esperanza turnovers to take a 32-31 halftime lead.