Santa Paula Joins Crowd Near Top of Frontier Standings

Cynics might call the game the battle for second place in the Frontier League, but Tom Donahue would have none of it.

“Never, never never,” the coach said. “Second place is never a goal. Never.”

But after Donahue’s visiting Santa Paula Cardinals defeated Nordhoff, 73-71, in overtime Tuesday night, the situation is this: Santa Paula, Nordhoff and Calabasas are in a virtual tie for second in the Frontier League, each having two losses. Santa Clara, which has not lost a league game since 1984, is two games ahead of the pack.

Santa Paula (13-4, 2-2 in league play) led by as many as nine points in the first half. Nordhoff (12-7, 3-2) tied the score for the first time since 2-2 when Tim Sebek hit a three-point shot with just over four minutes left in regulation, making the score 48-48. It was Sebek’s second three-point shot in a row, and he had four three-point baskets and 14 points in the fourth quarter.

The Rangers’ first lead came with three minutes left, when Sebek converted another three-point shot to make it 52-51. Nordhoff built a 60-55 lead, but Santa Paula scored the final five points to send the game into overtime.

The Cardinals went on an 8-2 run to take a 70-65 lead with 1:06 left. Terry Bell, the senior center who scored 19 points, had the first four points of the run, all on layups. Nordhoff moved to a full-court press, and Santa Paula capitalized by scoring on two fast breaks. George Albanez scored on the first and Kevin Crossley made two free throws on the second. The Cardinals had a 72-67 lead.

Nordhoff cut the lead to 72-71 and had the ball with 16 seconds left, but Sebek missed an off-balance layup. Chuck Hyde made a free throw with one second left to finish the scoring.

Albanez scored 21 points, 11 in the first quarter. Sebek scored a game-high 32.

Santa Paula led at halftime, 34-28. The Cardinals went on a seven-point run to take their biggest lead before intermission, 25-16, with 5:59 left.

Ramirez, Santa Paula’s leading scorer, attempted to block a layup by Nacho Vega. He was called for a foul on the play, and moments later fell to the floor. He stayed there for several moments, received ice treatment in his rib-cage area, and exited to the locker room. After catching air he re-entered with 2:25 left in the half.