Fay Proves Unstoppable as Buena Defeats Hueneme in League Opener

Buena High’s Lance Fay dribbled past two defenders, spun around another, then switched his dribble to his left hand like a magician pulling a card from his sleeve.

As he scooped a shot that singed the bottom of net, one of the pressing questions facing Channel League coaches this season became apparent.

How do you stop Fay, who entered Friday night’s league opener with Hueneme averaging 30.1 points a game, from scoring? Can anybody stop Fay?

After scratching his forehead for 32 minutes, Hueneme Coach Howard Davis failed to come up with an answer. Fay scored a career-high 41 points to lead host Buena past Hueneme, 98-84.

“We had a couple of different wrinkles we wanted to try, but they didn’t work,” Davis said. “We were outhustled, outplayed, outran, outcoached.”

And outshined. By Fay, a skinny, 6-foot-1 senior guard who hit 16 of 28 field goal attempts and also had 12 assists.

Although Fay--an All-Ventura County selection last season--has been impressive, the Bulldogs (7-4, 1-0 in league play) sometimes have failed to provide enough support.

But that was not the case against Hueneme.

Senior guard Nick Houchin had 21 points and 12 rebounds, including five offensive rebounds. Senior forwards Doug Wilder and Andy Saint, who each scored 12 points, provided strong play underneath for Buena. The Bulldogs had 21 offensive rebounds and a 41-30 rebounding advantage.

“I really like the way we helped each other out,” Buena Coach Glen Hannah said. “A lot of guys contributed, and that’s been a concern of ours.”

Hueneme (7-5, 0-1) rallied behind junior guard Tony Smith’s 34 points and junior forward Wendell Nunnery’s 15. But the Vikings wilted under Buena’s pressure and committed 18 turnovers.

Buena, meanwhile, committed just five turnovers in the first half and led, 47-31, at halftime. The Bulldogs’ lead peaked at 22 on Fay’s jump shot with six minutes left in the third quarter.

“We played real well in the first half and hung on for dear life,” Hannah said.

Hueneme pulled within 77-68 on David Andrade’s basket with 5:33 left. But two turnovers helped Buena to a 9-2 run that left the Vikings trailing, 86-70, with four minutes left.

“We wanted to attack their press because we can run,” Davis said. “But we didn’t do well at all. Of all the things I imagined happening, this was not one of them.”