FREEWAY LEAGUE : Sunny Hills Has Size to Give Fullerton’s Slide Another Push

Fullerton High School continued its free-fall through the Freeway League. The Indians, once at the top of the heap, are getting closer and closer to the rubble.

For the fifth consecutive game, Fullerton came away a loser. This time it was Sunny Hills that beat up on the Indians, who three weeks ago were undefeated in league play.

The Lancers exploited their size advantage for a 69-56 victory at Fullerton. The victory keeps alive Sunny Hills’ hopes, albeit slim hopes, of a fourth consecutive league championship.

Buena Park has a one-game lead with one game to play. The Coyotes’ remaining game is against Fullerton, making Sunny Hills’ title hopes a long shot.

“I guess we have to beat Sonora and then root real hard for Fullerton Friday,” Sunny Hills’ Coach Steve White said.

The Lancers (15-7, 7-2) might have hurt their own cause Wednesday. They dismantled the remnants of a Fullerton team that had won the teams’ previous encounter.

Sunny Hills’ front line of Brett Mitchelson (6 feet 8), Terry Mann (6-7) and David Ragsdale (6-5) overpowered the Indians, who have only one player taller than 6-3.

Ragsdale scored the first six points of the game and finished with 18. Mitchelson scored 15 points and Mann 14.

Fullerton (4-5, 11-12) had held those three players in check in its 69-65 victory three weeks ago.

“We did a much better job of getting the ball inside against them this time,” White said. “And I thought our defense was better.”

And Fullerton, as team, is much worse.

The Indians were 4-0 after beating Sunny Hills, but have now lost to every team in the league. They are tied for third with Troy.

Fullerton came out flat Wednesday and trailed, 17-6, with two minutes left in the first quarter. The Indians got to within five, 27-22, in the second quarter, but would get no closer.

Sunny Hills, which led, 36-26, at halftime, made its first six shots in the third quarter to go up by 18.

Fullerton made only 17 of 60 shots for the game.

“We peaked too early,” Fullerton Coach Chris Burton said. “Unfortunately, the kids made beating Sunny Hills (in the first meeting) their big goal. I wish we wouldn’t have beaten Sunny Hills the first time.”

In other league games:

Buena Park 64, La Habra 56--Angel Barrios had 20 points and 12 rebounds and P.J. Johnson had 18 points and seven assists for host Buena Park (16-7, 8-1).

Troy 71, Sonora 63--At Sonora, Randy Abbott had 28 points for Troy (5-4 in league play). Wilson Huang had 21 points and Chris St. Clair 16 for Sonora (5-17, 3-6).