Fullerton Gives Conference a Boost

The Orange Empire Conference men’s basketball coaches love to talk about how their conference is the toughest in the state.

They also go on about how the teams that finish toward the bottom of the OEC would do much better in other conferences.

Fullerton, which finished seventh this season, is the latest team to help further the coaches’ crusade.

The Hornets, seeded No. 31 in the Southern California playoffs, upended No. 2 Cerritos, 78-76, Saturday in Cerritos. The Falcons were the champions of the South Coast Conference and the defending State champions.

“We felt we were a talented team all along,” Fullerton Coach Roger See said. “We just needed to pull it all together. I would have liked it to happen a little sooner but now is fine.”

One of Fullerton’s problems this season was the lack of a returning starter. Fullerton struggled to a 4-10 finish in conference but laid the groundwork for the Cerritos upset in its final conference game.

The Hornets (16-17) blew out Rancho Santiago, 102-79, to end the regular season.

The momentum continued at Cerritos as Fullerton took control right away. The Hornets opened a 32-13 lead early on and were up, 38-26, at the half.

Several Fullerton players were in foul trouble in the second half, allowing Cerritos to get back into the game. The Falcons took their first and only lead, 76-75, after a steal and layup with 24 seconds left.

Fullerton used a timeout, and See called a play with guard Bobby Natoya as the first option and forward Kevin Carlson as the second.

As time ran down, Carlson passed to Natoya near the three-point line on the left side of the key.

Natoya took a few steps back and made a 25-footer with three seconds left to put Fullerton up, 78-76. Natoya, who spends about an hour before and after practice each day working on his shooting, had a game-high 25 points.

After a timeout, Cerritos threw a long pass that was deflected out of bounds by Fullerton. The Falcons got the ball under their basket but Natoya stole it with one second left.

“As soon as I let it go I knew it was good,” Natoya said about the winning shot. “Those last three seconds seemed like three years.”

Natoya was a redshirt at USC last season before transferring to Fullerton. He averaged 14 points this season but lately has become the Hornets’ dominant player.

He is averaging 24 points over the last three games. Fullerton advances to play at No. 15 MiraCosta (20-8) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

“Our kids are sky high right now,” See said. “But we need to bring them back down to focus on MiraCosta. They are seeded higher than us but everybody will be the rest of the way.”

Men’s basketball: Saddleback, Cypress and Rancho Santiago are still alive in the playoffs as well.

Saddleback (25-7) plays host to Rio Hondo (20-10) and Cypress (26-8) plays host to Pasadena (14-16) in 7 p.m. games. Rancho Santiago (20-12) is at Ventura (33-1) for a 7:30 p.m. game.

Women’s basketball: Orange Coast, making its first appearance in the State Tournament, plays in the opening game Thursday at Ventura College. The Pirates (27-5) take on Hancock (26-3) at 1:30 p.m.

Golden West (34-2), making its seventh consecutive appearance in the final eight, plays at 7:30 p.m. against Fresno (26-9).

Lassen (31-1) plays Los Angeles Harbor (28-3) at 3:30 p.m. and Ventura (26-4) plays Siskiyous (22-8) at 5:30 p.m.

The semifinals are at 6 and 8 p.m. Friday and the title game is at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Milestones: Golden West’s Cinnamon Basco set the Rustlers’ single-season record for rebounds last week. She had 10 rebounds in the 98-63 victory over Southwestern Friday to give her 454.

Cypress’ Robbie Shelton moved into second place on the Chargers’ single-season scoring list with 16 points in a 65-54 victory over Bakersfield in the Southern California playoffs.

Shelton has 676 points and trails Eric Pauley (1990-91), who had 744. Pauley currently starts at Kansas.

Shelton is fourth on the Chargers’ all-time scoring list with 1,021. He needs 24 to overtake Pat Barrett (1972-74) for third place.

Softball: Orange Empire Conference play opens Wednesday with the last two champions meeting.

Orange Coast, which won the title last season, is at Cypress for a 3 p.m. game. Cypress won the conference title and the State title in 1991.

In the other 3 p.m. games: Golden West is at Fullerton, Rancho Santiago is at Saddleback and Riverside is at Irvine Valley.