San Fernando Clinches Title in West Valley

Rightly or not, El Camino Real High felt it had nothing to lose.

San Fernando, which wasn’t supposed to falter, had plenty to lose.

“They beat us bad the first time and they’re awfully good,” said El Camino Real Coach Mike McNulty, explaining his team’s carefree attitude Friday afternoon before the West Valley League finale between two playoff-bound teams. The Tigers had pounded the Conquistadores by 20 points in their first meeting.

But the winner of the game at San Fernando on Friday would be league champ and would take the better seeding into the playoffs next week. So whom to take?

The favorite, of course: San Fernando (17-7, 7-3) emerged with a 67-61 win to give Coach Dick Crowell his second league title in three years and secure a date with Marshall in the first round of the playoffs. El Camino Real (9-10, 6-4) finished in second place and will face East Valley League champion Grant.

Simple? Not really.

San Fernando used its decided height and weight advantages inside--Russell Baldwin (team-high 17 points) and 6-foot-8, 250-pound Lance Whitaker (16 points)--to hammer out a cushy 57-42 lead with 40 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Then a funny thing happened.

Conquistadore guard Todd Orlando (game-high 20 points) drilled five three-point shots in the second half, the Tigers played as if sedated, and suddenly the scoreboard read 61-59, San Fernando, with just 3 minutes 55 seconds left.

El Camino Real effectively used substitutes Al Chow and Danny Costa and starter Brent Goldberg during its magical 14-2 run in the fourth quarter. Then it shot itself in the foot, however, by missing four consecutive free throws.