CENTURY LEAGUE BOYS’ ROUNDUP : Santa Ana Valley Uses One-Mann Army, Wins

For fourth-ranked Santa Ana Valley, Olujimi was the Mann, leading the Falcons to a 64-41 victory over third-ranked Orange in a Century League game Friday.

A capacity crowd jammed the Santa Ana Valley High gymnasium and watched Mann, a 6-foot-4 sophomore point guard, score 28 points to help the Falcons (23-3, 9-1 in league) earn a share of the league title.

Mann dominated the third quarter, scoring 14 points, and also had two crowd-pleasing dunks in the first half, including a reverse, two-handed dunk in the final minute of the second quarter.

Mann had five rebounds and five assists and also made 11 of 13 free throws. He made eight of 16 from the field, and when Mann missed, teammate Darnell Adamson was there to clean-up, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds, including seven offensive rebounds.

But after the game, Mann wanted to talk about defense.

“I thought the key was shutting down (Orange forward Gil) Gonzales tonight,” Mann said.

Mann had the assignment of guarding Gonzales in the Falcons’ man-to-man defense, and he finished with five steals, while holding Gonzales to 14 points.

Gonzales made only four of 15 from the field Friday. He scored 22 points, including five three-pointers, in the Panthers’ 64-58 victory over Santa Ana Valley Jan. 21.

“We have no excuses,” Orange Coach Richard Bossenmeyer said. “They didn’t do anything different tonight than the first time we played them.”

Falcons Coach Rich Prospero liked what he saw early when Santa Ana Valley’s pressure forced Orange (21-3, 9-1) to commit 13 first-half turnovers.

Gonzales made a three-pointer 22 seconds into the game and added a pair of free throws 40 seconds later to give Orange a 5-2 lead. It was Gonzales’ last three-pointer of the game, and his free throws were Orange’s last points for the next nine minutes.

Santa Ana Valley scored 20 unanswered points to take control with Alex Fletcher making two three-pointers during the run to give the Falcons a 22-5 lead.

With 10 seconds remaining in the second quarter and Santa Ana Valley leading, 28-11, Orange’s Nestor Cabalo and Fletcher exchanged words and a minor scuffle broke out near mid-court.

But tempers cooled as the margin grew, and both teams set their sights on the playoffs.

“I wouldn’t want to prepare to play against us in the playoffs because we do a lot of different things,” Prospero said. “We play pressure defense, we play up-tempo . . . “

And opponents have to prepare for Mann.

In other league games:

Foothill wins--Foothill (11-15, 5-5) clinched third place and a playoff berth with the victory. El Modena finished 9-16, 3-7.

Canyon 66, Villa Park 63--John Werhas scored a game-high 19 points in Canyon’s victory. Adam Hoover and Ryan Walker each added 12. Canyon is 9-15, 4-6. Villa Park is 3-20, 0-10.