Ferguson, Canyon Hold Off Saugus, 62-59

In a shocker of sorts, inspired Canyon High defeated cross-town rival Saugus, 62-59, Friday night in a Golden League basketball game at Saugus.

It was shocking because:

-- The visiting Cowboys never trailed in beating Saugus for the first time in five meetings, a span of two years.

-- In a fierce battle in which bodies collided beneath both baskets, Canyon forward Joe Ferguson scored virtually all of his game-high 25 points on simple inside baseline bank shots.

-- Canyon held talented Josh Hinrichs to seven points in the first three quarters.

But perhaps most shocking was that Hinrichs nearly won the game with 12 points in the fourth quarter, including three three-point baskets in the final 43 seconds. His near-miss at the buzzer would have tied the score. Hinrichs’ heroics raised the senior forward’s point total to a team-high 19.

With its gutsy performance, Canyon (11-8) forged a three-way tie for second place with Saugus (14-6) and Ridgecrest Burroughs, all with 3-2 league records. Quartz Hill leads at 5-0.

“Inside, they couldn’t stop me,” Ferguson said. “So I just kept taking it to ‘em.”

Said Canyon Coach Greg Hayes: “This game was really important to us. We were out for them and they were out for us.”

That’s half-right, according to Saugus Coach John Clark, who labeled the Centurions’ play greatly uninspired.

“My guys bailed out,” Clark said. “This game was not important to them. I give Canyon 100% credit for coming in here determined. But my guys took a hike.”

Canyon’s Jason Wolter set the tone with a three-point basket on the game’s opening possession. Saugus always was within striking distance, never trailing by more than eight points.

Three times Saugus tied the score in the third quarter, but Canyon countered quickly each time with a basket, two of them by Ferguson inside against Chris Hernandez. “Ferguson,” Clark said, “ate Hernandez up.”