Estancia’s Heredia Keeps His Cool Under Pressure

If Agustin Heredia felt a bit of deja vu in Estancia High School’s 3-AA second-round playoff game Friday, he had good reason.

Last season in a second-round playoff game against Norte Vista, Heredia made two free throws with nine seconds remaining to put the Eagles ahead by three points.

Friday night, it happened again. With six seconds remaining, Heredia, the Times’ Athlete of the Week, made two free throws despite the efforts of a hostile crowd, and Estancia defeated Pomona, 74-71.

“I thought it was pretty weird,” Heredia said of the similar situations.

But there was nothing unusual about the results. Heredia, a senior who has started in every Estancia basketball game since he made the varsity as a sophomore, has made 89.5% of his free throws this season.

Heredia said because of his playoff experience--he will play in his seventh postseason game when Estancia meets Western at 7:30 tonight at Corona del Mar High School--he wants to make sure he has the ball at the end.

“If it comes down to the point where they start fouling, I going to keep it because I think I can make those free throws,” Heredia said.

Estancia Coach Tim O’Brien agrees. “In the fourth quarter, he’s kind of developed that mentality,” said O’Brien. “(The ball) seems to always end up in his hands.”

Heredia scored nine of his team-high 28 points in the third quarter against Pomona and had a game-high 20 points in a 98-57 first-round victory over South Torrance Tuesday.

Heredia has had to take on more scoring responsibility because of the graduation of Mike Curtis, who averaged more than 22 points a game for the Eagles last year. Heredia has raised his average more than four points a game this season (from 15.1 to 19.6), and shared Sea View League player of the year honors with Corona del Mar’s Jeff Jackson.

But Heredia’s value to the Eagles goes beyond his scoring average. When in need of something at the end of a game, Estancia goes to the guard who’s been there.

TOP PERFORMERS

Zach Cooper and Jason Mitchell led Canyon (159.5 points to 112 for second-place Westlake) to the 4-A wrestling championship Saturday. Cooper, who has won 87 consecutive matches at 191 pounds, defeated Dave Schumm of Westlake, 16-1, on a technical fall. Mitchell defeated Amir Yates of Los Alamitos, 4-2, in the 138-pound division.

Jose Medrano scored two goals last week for Estancia’s soccer team. Medrano had a goal in the Eagles’ 2-0 1-A wild-card victory over Fullerton Tuesday and also scored in a 3-1 victory over El Segundo, Thursday. El Segundo, the Camino Real League champs, was 16-2-2 before losing to Estancia.

Jared Rice scored with 17 seconds remaining to give Cypress a 49-48 victory over Mira Costa Tuesday. Rice scored 24 points for Cypress, and had 18 in a loss to San Marcos Friday.

Robbie Shelton had 27 points and 17 rebounds as Western defeated Rolling Hills, 79-76, in a 3-AA playoff game Friday. Shelton also scored 19 in a 76-56 victory over Sonora Tuesday.

Agustin Heredia

Estancia High School

* Position: Guard

* Height, Weight, Class: 5-10, 140, Senior.

* Last Week: Heredia scored 28 points in a 74-71 second-round 3-AA victory over Pomona.

* Season: Heredia, who has made 89.5% of his free throws this season, is averaging 19.6 points and five assists a game.