EMPIRE LEAGUE : Esperanza Edges Katella on Jones’ Overtime Tip-In
Esperanza Coach Mike Hill knew his team had no business beating visiting Katella Wednesday night. The Aztecs were slower and more tentative much of the game, but down the stretch they came up big--winning, 73-72, in overtime on Marcus Jones’ tip-in with five seconds left.
And now Hill is beginning to wonder if this might be the Aztecs’ year.
“This is one of those games that shows you your destiny,” Hill said. “We got outplayed, except for the end.”
Trailing, 55-44, after three quarters, eighth-ranked Esperanza (17-5, 7-0 in league) looked dead. Mike Thimgan, the Aztecs’ leading scorer, and Jones were on the bench in foul trouble, and starting forward Rashaan Clark was having a miserable time trying to contain Katella forward Brian Carlson, who had scored 24 of his game-high 28 points after three quarters.
But they all came alive in the fourth quarter as Esperanza went on a 15-4 run to tie it at 59-59 with 4:20 left. Clark had seven of his 12 points in the run and Jones and Thimgan hit three-pointers.
Esperanza took a 64-61 lead with a minute left, but Katella guard Keith Carraby tied it with a three-pointer at :32.
Katella (15-6, 4-3) took its momentum into overtime, scoring the first four points. But Thimgan (12 points) connected on a three-pointer before fouling out, and the teams traded baskets before Jones got his game-winning tip off a Mike Lawson three-point attempt.
“Lawson didn’t throw it to me when I was open, so when he shot I just pushed off inside and tipped the ball in,” Jones said.
The victory also helped ease the pain in Hill’s neck. On Tuesday, Hill’s car was totaled when a student’s car hit it in front of the school.
“I was feeling pretty bad there for a while,” Hill said.
In other league games:
Los Alamitos 77, El Dorado 67--Ryan Staniec scored 26 points and Steve Carbone added 17 for Los Alamitos (5-1 in league), which is ranked ninth in the county. Andy Hinkle scored 16 points and Dan Watson had 14 for El Dorado (7-15, 2-5).
Loara 57, Cypress 47--Visiting Loara (6-15, 1-6) broke a 15-game league losing streak. Scott Davis had 22 points for the Saxons. Jeff Gaudio had 13 points for Cypress (1-6 in league).