FREEWAY LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Guards Stand Tall, Help Fullerton Cut Sunny Hills Down

At first glance, the Fullerton High School basketball team appeared to have little chance against Sunny Hills in its Freeway League showdown Friday night.

The Indians are fine little team--with no starter taller than 6-feet-3--but they just didn’t match up physically. Sunny Hills, after all, has a front line that stands 6-8, 6-7 and 6-5.

It was a typical David-vs.-Goliath match-up. And, yes, the ending was the same.

The Indians overcame the size disadvantage for a 69-65 victory at Sunny Hills to take sole possession of first place in the Freeway League.

“Don’t even talk to me, I had nothing to do with it,” Fullerton Coach Chris Burton said. “Talk to the kids. They’re the ones who did it. What an effort.”

It was that, mainly because of the play of the Indian guards.

Sunny Hills might have had the bulk, but Fullerton was able to exploit its backcourt edge. Craig Olson and Chris Hartshorn, both 6-foot-2 seniors, were more than a match for the Lancer guards.

Hartshorn scored only 12 points, but made three free throws in the final minute. He also had four steals and kept Dominic Carnesi, the Lancers’ three-point specialist, in check.

Olson supplied plenty of offense. He made eight of 14 shots, including four three-pointers, and finished with 28 points.

“I’m a streak shooter,” Olson said. “When I feel it, I shoot it.”

Olson was certainly feeling it in the second quarter, when he made all four of his shots. He made two three-pointers during the quarter to spark a 9-2 run that gave the Indians a 38-30 halftime lead.

In the fourth quarter, Olson scored eight points, including two free throws with four seconds left to clinch the victory.

“I don’t know if we’re better in the backcourt, but we outhustled them tonight,” Olson said.

The Indians (11-7, 4-0 in league) also held their own underneath.

The Lancers’ game plan was simple: Get the ball inside. And at times, it was effective. Brett Michelson (6-8, 220) scored 20 points and Terry Mann (6-7, 203) scored 17.

However, the Indians’ Pete Quis was able to give the Lancers a hard time. Although he is only 6-3 and 170 pounds, he was able to bump and thump with the Lancer front line. He finished with just seven points, but had 10 rebounds before fouling out with 4 minutes 38 seconds left.

Mann and Mitchelson combined for nine rebounds.

“Coach told me before the game that I had to play like I was 6-8,” Quis said. “He told me I had to be tall and mean. He told me to think of something that would make me angry and aggressive. I don’t remember what that was, but it sure made me mad.”

Losing Quis almost cost the Indians the game. When he fouled out, Fullerton led, 54-47. Without him, the Lancers controled the inside and twice closed to within two points.

Mann scored nine points in the final four minutes, including a three-pointer that cut the Fullerton lead to 67-65 with six seconds left.

But the Indians hung on by making seven of eight free throws in the final 48 seconds.

In other league games:

Buena Park 54, La Habra 48--Richard Harvey scored 17 points and Angel Barrios 16 to lead Buena Park (11-7, 3-1) at La Habra. Wendell Wickersham scored 14 and Erik McFrazier 13 for La Habra (5-13, 0-4).

Troy 88, Sonora 83--Jim Falletta scored 26 points, Chris Inman 16 and Brandy Abbott 15 for host Troy (5-12, 1-3). Chris St. Clair scored 35 points for Sonora (3-15, 1-3).