Terry’s Sharp Shooting Is a Hit With Fullerton

Bob Terry stood at the free-throw line, and a look of disgust washed over his face. His foul-shot attempt had just spun around the rim and rolled off in an act of betrayal.

Fullerton Coach Roger See did his best to console his sophomore forward.

“That’s OK, son, you’re going to make more than you miss.”

In Terry’s case, this is one of the major understatements of the season.

Terry, a 6-foot-8 forward, has a shooting touch normally associated with much smaller players. He has made 135 of 148 free-throw attempts this season or 91%, which is second best in the state. He has made 57 of 62 (92%) in conference play. His longest streak this season is 36 in a row. He also has had streaks of 22 and 23.

Terry has an excellent chance at breaking the Fullerton single-season free-throw percentage mark of 88. He already shares it with Rick Aberegg, who reached the mark during the 1971-72 season.

Terry has already set the Fullerton record for most free throws made and attempted in a game when was 18 for 18 against San Diego City in December, when he had his career high of 39 points.

But Terry has no secret about his success at the line. It’s come as a result of constant practice. He worked on free throws in his back yard while growing up, and has stayed after it. He made 88% (95 for 111) last season, when he averaged 19.4 points and was an All-Orange Empire Conference selection.

“I’m just comfortable at the line,” Terry said. “I really don’t think about the shot going in or not. I just believe it will.”

Terry is leading Fullerton and is second in the Orange Empire Conference in scoring this season at 21 points per game. He has scored 30 or more points seven times, including twice last week against Riverside (33) and Golden West (30).

Terry is shooting 49% (153 for 310) from the field, and is strong outside as well, making 40 of 109 (37%) three-point attempts.

He has scored 1,101 points in his Fullerton career and is currently the school’s fifth-leading career scorer. He could move as high as fourth or third if he continues at his average in the remaining three regular-season games.

Walt Simon, who is an assistant coach at Fullerton, holds the top spot with 1,708 points (1965-66).

“What Bob has been able to do for us is amazing,” See said. “He has been our most consistent player, and it has come with everybody hanging all over him every time he gets the ball.”

Terry, who turned 23 last week, had been a standout player at Brea-Olinda High School, where he graduated in 1987. He was a redshirt at Fullerton in 1988, then decided to go to work full time instead of playing basketball.

See kept after him, and Terry finally decided to return to the program last season. Terry had stayed in shape all along by playing in recreation leagues and at the park with friends.

But he has also kept his job at the mail center of an insurance company so that he has medical benefits. He gets up at 4:30 a.m. on weekdays and works from 5:30 to 10:30, then attends classes until 2 p.m. and practice until 5.

On game days, he goes home and catches a nap before coming back to play.

“The best thing about this season is that the games start at 7 p.m. (instead of 7:30 like last season),” Terry said. “I get an extra half hour of sleep this way.”

Reversed History: When Saddleback defeated Rancho Santiago, 75-67, in a men’s basketball game Saturday, it was the third time the Gauchos have stopped the Dons this season.

Saddleback beat the Dons, 75-70, in the championship game of the Rancho Santiago Holiday Tournament in December, then won, 63-59, in the first conference meeting last month.

This brings to mind the 1986-87 season, when the opposite occurred. Rancho Santiago beat Saddleback three times during the regular season, but the teams met a fourth time in the state tournament semifinals at Loyola Marymount.

There, Saddleback finally won but lost to Ventura the next night, missing a chance at the state title.

Olympic Don: Rancho Santiago baseball Coach Don Sneddon will spend part of the summer working with the U.S. baseball team as it prepares for the Olympics in Barcelona.

Sneddon will be an assistant coach while the team is on a 10-city, U.S. tour, but will not travel with the team to Spain. Miami’s Ron Fraser is the team’s head coach.

Sneddon was an assistant last fall at the U.S. Baseball Federation National Team tryouts in Miami. He also coached a team of California community college players that toured Taiwan in November, 1990.

Community College Notes

Orange Empire Conference baseball play starts Feb. 22, the same day the conference’s regular-season basketball play ends.