Capistrano Valley Tips Poway

The word getting around Poway High Wednesday was that Tom Airey had a broken foot, sustained in the Southern Section finals. But that was just the word, no facts.

Airey, with 130 three-point baskets this season and just 11 short of the all-time career record (289) was the leading scorer for the Titans’ opponent. When he walked into the gym on crutches, several hundred locals smiled.

But Capistrano Valley (29-3) paid little attention to Airey’s absence and scored a 67-60 nail-biter over Poway (26-9) in front of 1,800 between the Division I boys’ champions of the Southern and San Diego sections.

Capo Valley got 20 points from Aaron Rhoades and 10 from three others.

Trailing by seven points, 57-50, with less than two minutes remaining, Poway pulled to 61-59 when Todd Fortney made an off-balance three-point basket with 44 seconds left, and Mitch Palmer went strong to the basket 11 seconds later.

Poway had a chance to tie the game with 17 seconds left when Fortney was fouled during a three-point attempt, but the senior guard made only one free throw.

Free throws were important. Poway made five of 14, Capo Valley made 17 of 24.

In the fourth quarter, Capo Valley made 11 of 15 from the line, including their last six over the final 22 seconds; Poway made two of six.

“That was sure a physical game to only be shooting 14 free throws,” Poway Coach Doug Wealch said. “They had one arm wrapped around Kyle (Milling) most of the night and he couldn’t get the ball.”

Milling finished with 13 points, but only three came in the second half.

Capo Valley Coach Mark Thornton said the difference in the game was Rhoades, who guarded Milling in the second half.

Milling, 6 feet 7, admitted he was a little frustrated by Rhoades (6-3), who admitted he was all over Milling.

“Basically, he was holding my arm the whole night,” Milling said. “It wasn’t good defense, it was cheap defense, but he got away with it.”

Milling had 10 of Poway’s 19 rebounds and he blocked six shots.

Poway’s Brian Neitz scored 15 and Justin Kruse had 12. Fortney finished with nine.

“Since their best player was out, we thought we could beat them at home,” said Milling, who will play at UC Santa Barbara next year. “We came out with so much emotion, we had a letdown in the second quarter and we could never get it back up.”

Poway took a 16-4 lead in the game’s first six minutes, but trailed at halftime, 39-33.

Capo Valley outscored Poway in the second quarter, 23-9. Paramount to the effort was Jeff Rosales, who scored eight points as a reserve, including two three-pointers.

“I was told they were 10 deep,” Wealch said. “I believe it.”