CENTURY LEAGUE : Aguilera’s Intensity Sparks El Modena to a Big Victory

The shaved head is not a one-game motivational tool for El Modena center Aaron Aguilera.

“I’ve had it (the shaved head) all year,” Aguilera said. “It wasn’t just for tonight.”

“Tonight” was Wednesday night, when Aguilera scored 19 points and had 16 rebounds to lead El Modena to a 68-57 victory over visiting Santa Ana Valley in a key Century League boys’ basketball game.

The victory kept El Modena (12-8, 6-1 in league) in first place in league and prevented Santa Ana Valley (12-10, 4-3) from gaining a share of the lead. Aguilera was largely responsible for the Vanguards’ success, dominating the boards on both ends of the court and coming up with a number of key baskets down the stretch.

First-time watchers of Aguilera might have thought his ultra-intense, full-speed-ahead performance was a result of the importance of Wednesday’s game, but that wasn’t the case.

“He plays that way all the time,” El Modena Coach Tim Tivenan said. “Aaron’s got to be one of the best rebounders in the county, even though he doesn’t really jump that well, because he wants it so much.”

The play Aguilera probably wanted most against the Falcons was his three-point play off an offensive rebound with 3 minutes 47 seconds left to give El Modena a 56-53 lead. The momentum-turning play came after Santa Ana Valley had rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit to take a brief lead at 53-52 early in the fourth quarter.

The Falcons’ run was capped by a 10-1 spurt to start the fourth quarter, erasing a 51-43 El Modena advantage. Point guard Anthony Porter scored four points and assisted on two other baskets during the rally.

A free throw by Mario Perez tied the score at 53-53, and Aguilera’s three-point play moved the Vanguards in front for good. El Modena’s Tyler Wood made six of six free throws in the final 2:24 and finished 12 of 12 for the game.

Porter led Santa Ana Valley with 17 points, with Wood scoring 16 for El Modena.

In another league game:

Orange 48, Canyon 36--Gil Gonzales scored 14 points for Orange (11-10, 5-2).