Esperanza Dominates Los Alamitos : Empire: Thimgan has 14 points, 10 rebounds as Aztecs win, 71-60, and clinch second straight league title.
The persistent pain that Esperanza Coach Mark Hill has experienced in his neck and lower back after an automobile accident Tuesday should be little more bearable today.
Hill watched as visiting Esperanza dominated Los Alamitos with superior rebounding strength and a suffocating defense in a 71-60 victory Friday night that clinched a second straight Empire League championship for the Aztecs.
Remember when Esperanza was a football school? A victory over either Loara or El Dorado next week will give Esperanza (18-5, 8-0) the title outright, only its third championship since the school opened in 1974.
The victory was also a school-record 11th straight for the Aztecs and their fourth straight against rival Los Alamitos over the last two seasons.
All of this should help Hill’s disposition. Four days earlier, the coach was side-swiped by a Esperanza student about 500 yards from the school near the intersection of Kellogg and Imperial Highway.
“The bus ride over here wasn’t much fun,” Hill said. “I haven’t been to school in three days, and I’m going to see an orthopedic surgeon Monday. I can’t stand or sit for an hour without being in pain.”
Esperanza’s defense was a big pain for Los Alamitos. Griffin guards Tim Lin and Steve Carbone managed only one field goal each after the first quarter and were never a factor. Both finished with 11 points.
“They played very well defensively, especially against our guards,” Los Alamitos Coach Steve Brooks said. “Give them credit. They came after us. They were very dominant, especially at the foul line.”
Esperanza made 23 of 30 free throws, but it was the Aztecs’ domination of the boards that helped win the game. Mike Thimgan, whom Hill said he would nominate for player of the year in the league, had 10 rebounds and teammate Marcus Jones had nine.
Los Alamitos (18-5, 6-2) came out flat, falling behind, 8-0, at the outset but managed to tie the score, 25-25, after a technical foul accessed to Hill. The Griffins took their only lead, 27-25, moments later when Ryan Staniec scored on a tip-in with five minutes remaining in the first half.
It was Los Alamitos’ last hurrah. The Griffins appeared to tire in the second half and Carbone struggled to find his shooting touch, failing to make a shot in third or fourth quarter.
“Carbone ran out of gas,” Hill said. “We decided we’d rather have them beat us up front than have Lin and Carbone hit three-point shots. We did a great job on those two.”
Thimgan, who is far from the flashiest player in the county, has his usual workmanlike game, scoring 14 points. Jones and Rashaan Clark also had 14 points.
Esperanza doesn’t have a star player, but has been successful with with old-fashioned team work. Hill acknowledged the fact afterward.
“He have great team chemistry,” he said. “The players understand their roles better than any I’ve coached. And they respond to coaching in any situation. That’s why they’re league champs.”
In other league games:
Loara 83, El Dorado 63--Rob Harris had 23 points and Scott Davis had 21 points to lead Loara (7-15, 2-6). Dan Watson had 22 points and John Simonson had 20 points for El Dorado (2-6).
Katella 56, Cypress 52 (2OT)--Nick Roditis hit four free throws in the second overtime to win the game for host Katella (16-6, 5-3). Brian Carlson had 18 points. Cypress is 1-7 in league.