Ventura County Boys’ Player of the Year

Measured solely by statistics, Buena High’s Lance Fay was clearly the best player in Ventura County this season. The senior point guard was the leading scorer in the county with a 29.2-point average, handed out 6.4 assists per game and his team won the Channel League championship and advanced to the semifinals of the Southern Section Division 1-A playoffs.

Yet the statistics do not do justice to Fay’s fabulous season. Certainly, he will be remembered primarily for his astounding ability to make game-winning shots. In both games against San Marcos, Buena’s most serious challenger for the league title, Fay came through with last-second heroics.

In the first meeting he hit a three-point shot to send the game into overtime, then made the winning basket with 10 seconds to play. In the second meeting he stole the ball and made a layup with two seconds to play to give his team a one-point win.

Against Pasadena in the playoff quarterfinals, Buena trailed by one with seven seconds to play. Fay dribbled past a double-team and sank an 18-foot shot at the buzzer.

“Lance is very confident and competitive,” Buena Coach Glen Hannah said. “He made other players better.” And he made the Bulldogs winners.