BOYS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Fountain Valley Trio Puts Trabuco Hills Away, 80-65

Rob Warnick, Jon Paisley and Nick Punto combined for 66 points to lead Trabuco Hills to an 80-65 victory over Fountain Valley on Wednesday night at Trabuco Hills High.

Trabuco Hills’ three returning starters from last season’s 22-6 team took turns giving Fountain Valley fits most of the evening in the season opener for both teams.

Punto scored all of his points (23) in the first half, including seven three-pointers, as the Mustangs grabbed a 38-35 lead at halftime. In the second half, Warnick and Paisley scored 32 of the their team’s 42 points, with Paisley getting a game-high 25.

Fountain Valley, also 22-6 last season, led by as many as eight in the first half but were hurt by the absence of 6-foot-5 center Phil Domingo, who got into early foul trouble. Domingo picked up his fourth personal with 20 seconds left in the first half and fouled out 14 seconds into the second half.

Without him, the Barons shot 36% from the field and had only four offensive rebounds.

“That was a big advantage,” Mustangs Coach Rainer Wulf said. “We knew we could get him into foul trouble. He’s an emotional kid. He made a couple fouls out of frustration.”

Fountain Valley pulled to within five, 60-55, with 5:37 remaining, but the Mustangs went on an 18-7 run to close out the contest.

Daniel Keller led the Barons with 22 points. Warnick finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds.