CENTURY LEAGUE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Foothill Finally Stands Tall in Victory Over El Modena

This boys’ basketball season, Foothill Coach Jim Reames has decided bigger is better.

After watching El Modena outrebound his team, 39-19, in a 65-59 loss three weeks ago, Reames switched to a lineup that features five of his six tallest players.

Friday night in the rematch at El Modena, Foothill (11-9, 5-1 in league) beat the Vanguards, 54-52, winning its fifth consecutive game and moving into a first-place tie with El Modena (14-7, 5-1) in the Century League.

Typical of his new lineup, Reames moved Mike Busalacchi, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound forward to point guard.

“He’s big and stocky and not very quick,” Reames said. “Obviously he’s not a natural point guard, but he’s doing the job.”

Busalacchi also had the tough assignment of guarding El Modena’s three-point specialist, Bob Baytosh. Baytosh scored a game-high 20 points including three three-pointers, but Busalacchi held him scoreless over the final six minutes.

After El Modena’s center Aaron Aguilera picked up his fourth foul only 25 seconds into the third quarter, Foothill built a 46-39 lead by making nine of 11 shots.

But El Modena rallied and had a chance to tie the game the closing moments.

After Nick Konopisos (13 points) made one of two free throws to give Foothill a two-point lead with 12 seconds to play, the Vanguards rushed the ball upcourt.

Mike Terry (17 points) drove to the basket and took an off-balance, 12-foot jumper that missed, and Casey Shine’s follow shot also missed.

“We got a good shot inside the key in the last few seconds,” El Modena Coach Tim Tivenan said. “What else could you ask for?”