CENTURY LEAGUE : El Modena in First Place After Defeating Canyon

Like it or not, Tim Tivenan, your El Modena basketball team is the top dog in the Century League today. The front runner. The team to beat .

It’s enough to make a coach shake his head and sigh.

The Vanguards are singled out by virtue of their 48-43 victory over Canyon Friday night, which left them undefeated after three league games. Never mind that they squeaked by this week with little margin for error, winning in overtime Wednesday and with needing a rally Friday.

El Modena, you’re it.

Time for a primal scream, coach?

“No one is going to run away in this league,” Tivenan said. “Really, I don’t know how we’re doing it. I guess we’re just surviving.”

Yeah, but the Vanguards have survived their way to three league titles in the last four seasons and such tenacity was apparent throughout Friday’s game at El Modena.

The Vanguards (9-7, 3-0) were out-thought, out-hustled and out-shot by Canyon (10-8, 1-2), yet won.

El Modena was 11 of 45 from the field through three quarters. At the forefront was point guard Mario Perez, who is normally deadly accurate, but clanged 12 of 13 shots.

The Vanguards were a pitiful three of 16 on three-point attempts.

They were also pushed around inside, something that doesn’t happen often--not with 6-foot-4 center Aaron Aguilera on the floor.

But on this night, Aguilera wasn’t a factor. He was averaging 14.6 points and 10.6 rebounds. He finished with a quiet nine points and an even more silent six rebounds.

Aguilera was also beaten by Canyon’s Tony Pappas (14 points, nine rebounds) on consecutive possessions. The second layup gave the Comanches a 30-21 lead.

The dam might have burst right then, but Tyler Wood plugged the hole. “Coach said somebody had to step up,” Wood said. “I guess it had to be me.”

Despite the flu, Wood hit a three-pointer and scored on a rebound. He proceeded to pick Rick Judy’s pocket, which led to a Brian Williams jumper. Wood ( 12 points, four steals) forced another turnover and fed Williams (10 points) again for a layup.

Just like that, the score was 30-30.

It was the second big game in a row for Wood, who had six rebounds and seven assists Wednesday in a 61-58 overtime victory over Santa Ana Valley.

“Tyler doesn’t always get the points, but he makes big plays,” Tivenan said.

It was Wood who put the Vanguards over the top by sinking a pair of free throws with a minute left for a 47-43 lead and a firm hold on the league lead.

“Don’t be saying that,” Wood said. “There are too many good teams in this league. It’s going to be a struggle.”

In other games:

Orange 69, Villa Park 65--Gil Gonzalez had 24 points and six three-pointers and Pat Harris added 16 points for visiting Orange (8-9, 2-1).

Santa Ana Valley 55, Foothill 45--Jeff Serrano scored 13 points and Anthony Porter 11 to lead the Falcons.