OLYMPIC LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Brethren Christian Caps Its First Unbeaten League Season Since ’71

The Brethren Christian boys’ basketball team finished off an undefeated league season for the first time in 21 years.

Brethren Christian ended the regular season with a 57-48 victory over host Whittier Christian Friday night in Olympic League play at Whittier College, marking the first time the Warriors have gone through league play undefeated since they won the Academy League title in 1971.

Brethren Christian (22-2, 12-0) will go into the Southern Section Division V-AA playoffs next week as the top-seeded team.

Whittier Christian (11-12, 5-7) did manage to come within two points in the second quarter but a poor third-quarter performance, during which the Heralds made only a three-point shot and a free throw, ended any upset bid.

Guard Scott Thomas, the only junior in an otherwise all-senior lineup, led Brethren Christian with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

“Whittier did a good job of fronting and backing our big man (seven-foot center Chris Fry) and bottled him up,” Brethren Christian Coach Richard Thomas said. “But we were able to penetrate their zone on the dribble, and we were very patient.”

In another league game:

Capistrano Valley Christian 66, Orange Lutheran 64--Troy Rodarmel, who sat out most of the third quarter with four fouls, returned with six minutes left and scored 11 of his game-high 27 points to lead Capistrano Valley Christian’s comeback for the victory at home.

Jeff Jennings added 13 points for Capistrano Valley (11-12, 4-8).

Chad Mihr and Cory Fleming each scored 12 points for Orange Lutheran (13-12, 8-4).