Calvary Chapel Wins Title With Easy Victory

Most coaches would be smiling if their team had secured its third consecutive 20-win season and a third straight Olympic League boys’ basketball title, which Calvary Chapel accomplished Friday night with a 69-36 victory over Whittier Christian.

But Coach Craig Falconer believes the ninth-ranked Eagles (20-4, 8-0), who would probably wrap up the third seeding in the Division IV-A playoffs with two victories next week, still have plenty of work to do.

“I still don’t think we’ve jelled yet,” Falconer said. “We have been inconsistent, although tonight I think we played our best defense of the season.”

The Eagles forced 21 turnovers and limited Whittier Christian (11-12, 5-3) to 24 points in the last three quarters.

“We had lost a little confidence after the Mater Dei game,” Falconer said, referring to a 77-43 pounding by the Monarchs on Jan. 7. “We’ve been trying to get it back ever since. I think we’re close. But we also have to win the next two to hold on to our seeding.”

Falconer’s son Kevin, who led all scorers with 18 and made four of Calvary Chapel’s nine three-pointers, believes the Eagles are coming together at the right time.

“We’ve had guys sick and injured, and we’ve not played together,” the senior point guard said. “But the past week we’ve really improved our defense and rebounding, which have long been our weaknesses.”

Herald co-Coach Bob Brown didn’t see many Calvary weaknesses on Friday. He did see the Eagles half-court trap defense and fastbreak reverse Whittier Christian’s 18-17 lead with a 15-3 burst in the final four minutes of the second quarter, putting Calvary ahead 32-21 at the half.

And when Calvary scored the first nine points of the third quarter, the game was out of reach.

The Eagles limited Herald leading scorer Jon Stoa to nine points. Randy Snyder topped Whittier with 11 points.

Also enjoying good nights for Calvary were Brett Young with 17 points and two blocked shots, and Robert Cutler, who had 14 points and eight rebounds.

“They are so explosive; just a great team,” Brown said. “We did all right the first 10 minutes of the game then all of a sudden they devastate us with their transition.”

In another Olympic League game:

Brethren Christian 60, Ontario Christian 40--Jacob Brown had 13 points and 13 rebounds to lead Brethren Christian (12-11, 5-3). Duane Hundley had 13 points, nine rebounds and six blocked shots for Brethren Christian.