Eight Players Foul Out as Hart Outlasts Alhambra

It was foul or be fouled in Tuesday night’s Foothill League game between Alhambra and Hart highs.

The teams combined for 59 fouls. Eight--count ‘em, eight--players fouled out, four technical fouls were assessed and twice the game nearly erupted into a bench-clearing brawl after jerseys were grabbed beneath the basket.

“Butchered,” Hart forward Marty Downen said, shaking his head. “Every time you got the ball, you had to expect to be fouled. It was pretty rough underneath.”

Fortunately for Hart, Downen, the only player left teetering with four fouls--remained standing long enough to score a season-high 27 points and grab 12 rebounds while leading the Indians to a heated 80-61 victory.

Hart, which avenged an 82-63 loss to Alhambra three weeks ago, remains standing, too.

The win narrowed the gap between the third-place Indians (15-7, 4-3 in league play) and second-place Alhambra (17-4, 5-2), which fell two games behind first-place Burroughs.

Alhambra Coach Jim Wetmore was hit with consecutive technical fouls late in the fourth quarter after watching a sixth Alhambra player and the fourth of five starters, foul out.

Wetmore remained on the court while officials insisted he sit--and Hart fans insisted he be ejected.

“I was upset about guys spitting on guys,” Wetmore said.

Hart Coach Greg Herrick, whose team was charged with four technicals and had two players ejected the last time the teams met, wisely watched his P’s and Q’s--and thus avoided any Ts.

“I think the frustration is in the team that is behind,” Herrick said. “They can’t win the league championship now. THEY were frustrated. We wanted to go home.”

Hart led from the start of what began as a slow-paced game.

Three minutes elapsed before Micah Ohlman sank a three-point basket for Hart to account for the game’s first points.

From there, Alhambra, often with three players with both feet behind the three-point perimeter, was content to work the ball for a high-percentage shot.

The Moors attempted only four shots from the field (they made two) in the first quarter after which they trailed, 13-9.

Hart led, 27-19 at halftime and 51-36 after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter, Hart center Chad Fotheringham (eight points) and forward Keith Halcovich fouled out.

For Alhambra, forward Brian Lui (four points) and sixth man Hon Trieu (nine) fouled out in the third quarter.

Starting guards Kevin Hirai (two) and Hung Duong (game-high 21), and center Steve Lee were disqualified in the fourth.