COMMUNITY COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL : Whitlock Gets 34, Saddleback Wins

Tes Whitlock continued his torrid scoring pace and Saddleback continued its hot streak as the Gauchos beat Fullerton, 91-73, in an Orange Empire Conference men’s basketball game Friday at Saddleback.

Whitlock, a sophomore guard from Loara High School, had a game-high 34 points, including two key three-pointers late that allowed Saddleback (17-6, 7-1 in conference) to pull away.

Whitlock made 12 of 15 shots from the field including six of seven three-point tries.

Derrick Walsh of Saddleback made 10 of 11 shots and scored 22 points for Saddleback, which has won six consecutive games.

Whitlock was coming off a career-high 41 Wednesday in the Gauchos’ 108-94 victory over Irvine Valley. He is averaging 32 points over his last four games and 27 in conference. He is averaging 22 overall.

“I don’t think we have touched the (tip of the) iceberg when it comes to how much he can score,” Saddleback Coach Bill Brummel said. “He’s been working harder without the ball. He’s not really concentrating on the scoring. It’s coming naturally. I don’t think we ran but one play for him tonight.”

Whitlock, who averaged 33 points in high school, holds the Orange County prep single-game scoring record of 68 set in 1990.

“It seems like earlier in the year I felt like I had something to prove putting up some big numbers,” Whitlock said. “Now, I’m not too worried about it. But I’m not doing it by myself. My teammates are working together setting screens and Josh (Borella) is getting me the ball.”

Saddleback made 21 of 30 shots in the first half to open a 49-42 lead. The Gauchos were 36 of 56 (64%) from the field in the game.

Fullerton (20-7, 5-3) did manage a second-half rally, though. The Hornets went on a 16-8 run to cut it to six, 73-67, with eight minutes 43 seconds left.

Fullerton had a chance to get closer, but Floyd Payne missed the front end of a one-and-one with 7:50 remaining.

Whitlock then made a three-pointer from about 24 feet with 7:20 left to give the Gauchos a 76-67 lead.

Fullerton scored the next five points to get within 76-72 with 4:11 left. But Whitlock made another three-pointer with 2:30 left and added two free throws with 3:10 left to put Saddleback up, 81-72, with 3:10 left.

The victory keeps Saddleback tied for first place with Riverside. The Tigers beat Golden West, 86-79, Friday. The teams meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Saddleback. Riverside beat the Gauchos, 91-78, this season.

“It looks like this team is really coming together,” Whitlock said. “This is what we wanted, to set-up the rematch with Riverside.”

In other conference games:

Riverside 86, Golden West 79--Visiting Golden West (8-16, 1-7) cut the lead to five points with 1:13 left on a three-point play by Greg Vanden Ordel but got no closer. Vanden Ordel, a sophomore center, made 12 of 13 shots from the field and finished with a career-high 30 points.

Raimonds Miglinieks had 23 points and nine assists for Riverside (21-5, 7-1). He made 18 of 19 free throws. Riverside had won 13 of 14.

Irvine Valley 95, Orange Coast 78--Triantaflos Pantazis scored 25 points and Damon Sims had 19 and 12 rebounds for visiting Irvine Valley (17-9, 5-3), which is tied for second with Fullerton and Rancho Santiago. Chauncey Woolridge had 23 points and eight rebounds for OCC (11-12, 1-7).

Rancho Santiago 86, Cypress 73--Sean Amos had 22 points and Matt Kordik added 20 for host Rancho Santiago (17-8, 5-3). Amos made seven of 10 shots and Kordik made seven of 11 shots from the field.

Matt Kennedy made four three-pointers to set the Cypress single-game and career mark with 82. Jeff Cummins scored 22 points for Cypress (10-18, 1-7).