Hoover Blows Opportunities in Overtime Loss to Saugus

Getting off the canvas is tough enough when a guy who looks like Mike Tyson keeps slugging away at you.

But the Saugus High basketball team staged two rallies Tuesday night to post a 52-50 victory in overtime over host Hoover in a nonleague game.

Hoover guard Dave Ulloa, 5-foot-9 and sockless in his black high-tops a la the former heavyweight champion, pounded the Centurions with five three-point baskets, most from NBA range.

Ulloa, who scored a game-high 21 points, nearly provided the Tornadoes with an early knockout, swishing three three-point baskets in the first half as Hoover staked a 28-14 lead.

But Saugus’ Josh Hinrichs landed the game’s most effective blow, sinking a one-handed short jump shot over Ulloa with two seconds to play in overtime to account for the only points of the three-minute period.

“I didn’t think we could play that badly for so long,” Saugus Coach John Clark said. “But they were hard to guard. That Ulloa is a shooter.”

Ulloa--raising authoritative fingers, dribbling rapidly and constantly exercising court generalship--had the crowd clamoring for three-point shots every time he touched the ball.

Ulloa scored 13 points in the first half, but missed two of three three-point attempts in the third quarter as Hoover scored only five points.

Saugus (11-4) grabbed its first lead at 33-31. From there, the lead changed hands six times before Ulloa made two more three-point baskets to help Hoover assume a 50-45 lead with 48 seconds to play in the fourth quarter.

However, Hoover (8-6) blew two chances to put the game away in regulation.

Chad Reese missed a free throw and Saugus’ Steve Tampus (13 points) responded with a three-point basket to cut the gap to 50-48 with 30 seconds to play.

Hoover’s Juan Calderon then missed two free throws with 22 seconds to play. Hinrichs, who led Saugus with 18 points, grabbed the rebound off the second miss and went the length of the floor for the game-tying layup with 15 seconds to play.

Ulloa responded by dribbling the length of the floor but was whistled for a charge under the Saugus basket with seven seconds to play.

In overtime, Ulloa was double- and triple-teamed and missed a hurried three-point attempt. Center Gabe Alvarado missed two free throws with less than a minute to play. Saugus then maneuvered for the final shot.

“I’m really disappointed,” Ulloa said. “I feel we should have won. It just seems like every time we get a lead, we let up or underestimate our opponent. What we gotta do is work on putting the nails in the coffin.”

Hoover Coach Kirt Kohlmeier drove that point home to his players in a 15-minute, closed-door postgame meeting.