BOYS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Gonzalez Gets Points; Servite Gets Victory

Maybe the best way to beat Huntington Beach, the 10th-ranked team in Orange County, is to let Tony Gonzalez do whatever he pleases.

Gonzalez, a 6-foot-6 forward who has orally committed to attend California, had 37 points and 16 rebounds, but Servite kept its Sunset League title hopes alive by defeating the Oilers, 67-63, Saturday at Servite High.

Although Gonzalez got his points, the Friars (14-7, 7-3 in league) kept the rest of the Oilers in check. Mark Seaton scored 20 points, Kristian Vallas had 17, and David Downs had 15 to lead a balanced attack for the Friars.

Servite moved to one game of the Oilers (14-8, 8-2), tied for first with Fountain Valley (16-5, 8-2) after the Barons defeated Marina, 55-42, Saturday.

“We’ve been kicked around lately,” Servite’s acting coach Kevin Reynolds said. “We lost our coach, we lost to Fountain Valley on Friday . . . but this game was about Servite’s spirit and pride.”

Servite is 3-1 since Reynolds took over for Scott Hamilton, who was suspended for the rest of the season. Hamilton was involved in an altercation with game officials after a game Jan. 19 against Marina.

Saturday, Seaton and the rest of the Friars had redemption on their minds. Earlier this season, Huntington Beach defeated Servite, 54-46, and Seaton, the Friars’ leading scorer, was a non-factor, scoring only five points.

“Tonight was Seaton’s best ballgame of the year,” Reynolds said.

Seaton, a 6-9 junior, scored nine of his 20 points in the second quarter, when the Friars took charge by outscoring Huntington Beach, 23-13, making eight of 11 shots from the field (73%) to take a 36-25 halftime lead.

Seaton opened the second quarter with a two-hand dunk off a perfect feed from Downs, then he scored a rebound basket and a free throw to cap an 8-0 run to put Servite ahead, 30-23, with 1 minute 53 seconds left in the second quarter.

Servite extended its lead when point guard Mike Hoffman made two three-pointers, and a three-point play by Vallas gave the Friars their biggest lead of the game, 57-42, with 6:47 remaining.

Gonzalez tried to rally Huntington Beach, scoring 16 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter. Matt Malmquist who had 13 points, made his third three-pointer to cut the lead to 66-60 with 50 seconds remaining, but the Oilers drew no closer until a Gonzalez tip-in with two seconds remaining.

In other Sunset League games:

Edison 67, Westminster 44--Micah Kroeger had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Edison (12-7, 5-5). Chad Baird added 10 points and nine assists and Ben Beard had nine points and 12 rebounds. Westminster is 5-17, 1-9.

Fountain Valley 55, Marina 42--Phil Domingo scored 21 points, Brandon Leimbach added 15, and Daniel Keller 12 for Fountain Valley (16-5, 8-2). Andy Nieto scored 22 points for the Vikings (9-13, 3-7).

Ocean View 69, Santa Ana 38--Ocean View (12-10, 7-3) took a 19-5 first-quarter lead. Aaron Hatch scored 12 points to lead four Seahawks who scored in double figures. Santa Ana is 2-15, 1-9.

In nonleague games:

Palos Verdes Chadwick 78, Brethren Christian 60--Richard Mendoza scored 21 points, including five three-pointers, for Brethren Christian (13-8). Todd Ammons scored 33 points, including eight three-pointers, and Neil Thakur had 32 with six three-pointers for Chadwick.