FREEWAY LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Sunny Hills Awakens, Beats Fullerton, 89-75

For the first quarter of its game against Fullerton High School Wednesday night, Sunny Hills seemed content to stand back and watch.

Perhaps the Lancers, and everyone else in the packed Sunny Hills gymnasium, were mesmerized by the hot hand of Fullerton’s Rene Arias, who scored 12 consecutive points in the opening quarter.

But Sunny Hills didn’t doze long, picking up its intensity in each quarter en route to an 89-75 Freeway League victory.

The victory boosts Sunny Hills (8-11, 6-1 in league) into sole possession of first place. Fullerton (8-12, 5-2) falls to second.

Sunny Hills trailed, 21-16, after the first quarter, but in the second quarter began to utilize an intense man-to-man defense, forcing several turnovers. Dominic Carnesi’s three-pointer at the buzzer gave Sunny Hills a 38-27 halftime lead.

The Lancers then went on a 15-0 run in the third quarter, holding Fullerton scoreless for nearly three minutes.

By the end of the third quarter, Sunny Hills led, 65-48.

“We were very tight in the first quarter for some reason,” Sunny Hills Coach Steve White said.

“Then we relaxed and started playing fundamental basketball.”

That means Sunny Hills started taking advantage of its height--especially that of its two center/forwards: 6-foot-6 sophomore Terry Mann and 6-7 junior Brett Mitchelson.

Together, Mann and Mitchelson provided plenty of defense inside, frustrating Fullerton with several blocked shots and steals.

And Mitchelson, who missed the first seven games of the season with a pulled quadriceps muscle, led the Lancers with 27 points, scoring many from inside on turnaround bank shots and follows.

“This is the first game he’s really played well,” White said of Mitchelson. “It’s by far his best game of the year.”

Arias, meanwhile, could only watch as his first-quarter hot streak went cold through the next two quarters.

After finishing the first quarter with 12 of Fullerton’s 21 points, Arias missed four consecutive field goals and two free throws in the second quarter.

Arias went 0-for-4 from the field again in the third quarter before finding his groove in the fourth, when he scored 17 points--including three three-pointers--to finish with 30 points.

“You live and die by the three-pointer and tonight we died by it,” Fullerton Coach Chris Burton said.

“But that’s the kind of shooter (Arias) is. Very streaky. The problem is our other three guards are juniors. When we get behind, we tend to rely on Rene too much.”

Along with Mitchelson, Sunny Hills received double-figure scoring from Dominic Carnesi (24 points), David Ragsdale (13), Mann (11) and Kenny Overby 10.

Sunny Hills also benefited from strong performances at the free throw line, making 29 of 38 shots, including 12 of 17 in the fourth quarter.

In other league games:

La Habra 59, Sonora 52--James Clegg scored 20 points, Mark Moreno had 16 and Mark Zehrung had 12 to lead visiting La Habra (7-14, 3-4). Greg Farlow and Anthony Choe each had 14 points for Sonora (6-15, 1-6).

Buena Park 60, Troy 47--Ray Lanier scored 19 points, Gavin Molinar had 13 and Donyell Collins 10 to lead visiting Buena Park (9-11, 4-3). Mike Abbott had 19 points for Troy (7-12, 2-5).