Last Orange Coast Shot Topples Irvine Valley

Chris Lopez, shooting behind a strong double screen, made a three-point basket with six seconds left to give host Orange Coast a 60-59 upset victory over Irvine Valley Friday in an Orange Empire Conference men’s basketball game.

The play capped an amazing final 24 seconds in which everything went the Pirates’ way.

The Pirates had to commit four fouls to put Irvine Valley in the bonus and needed only seven seconds to do it. The seventh foul sent Robert Griffin to the free-throw line. He missed the front end of a one-and-one with 17 seconds left.

Mark Pozsgai got the rebound and the Pirates called a timeout with 12 seconds left. Pirate Coach Tim O’Brien called for Shaun Jackson and Pozsgai to set screens for Lopez.

“They did exactly what I designed,” O’Brien said, “Those are our biggest, thickest guys. Shaun [Jackson] was our second option had they guarded Chris [Lopez].”

The victory moved Orange Coast (17-7, 4-2) into a first-place tie in the conference race.

The Pirates last won the conference title in 1978.

Irvine Valley (16-7, 4-2) led, 59-55, when Mike Scaglione (16 points) made a three-pointer with 2 minutes 47 seconds left. But the Lasers missed two layins down the stretch and Griffin missed a three-pointer in traffic as time ran out.

Lopez and Anthony Cooper each had 14 points for the Pirates. Donald Williams and Matt Houser had 13 each for Irvine Valley.