Foothill Loses to Villa Park, Gets Player

Host Foothill gave No. 4 Villa Park all it could handle before coming up short, 57-52, in a battle for a piece of first place in the Century League boys’ basketball race.

But the spotlight in the Knights’ gym Friday night was on the Foothill bench, where much-traveled senior guard Roger Hogan has landed.

Hogan, who did not play Friday, was kicked off the Servite team earlier this week for disciplinary reasons. He enrolled Friday afternoon at Foothill. According to Foothill Athletic Director Vince Brown, Roger Hogan Sr., Hogan’s father, has leased a home in the Foothill attendance area. Such a move would be necessary to comply with Southern Section eligibility rules.

Hogan Sr. refused comment other than to confirm that he is moving his family, and Brown refused to let Hogan, the player, talk. Brown said a school truant officer visited the new home and found Hogan Sr. moving furniture into it. Next week the school will check the family’s old house in Anaheim Hills to be sure, Brown said.

“We’re pretty comfortable and confident that everything is on the up and up,” Brown said.

This is Hogan’s third move in four seasons. He played as a freshman at Servite, then transferred to Canyon, where he helped the Comanches win the Century League title last season. He returned to Servite in the fall.

Hogan figures to give the Knights depth at guard, which Foothill needs more than ever after shooting guard Alex Rasmussen left with 1 minute 24 seconds remaining in the third quarter with an injured knee. Foothill (11-11, 4-2) trailed, 38-35, at the time, and Villa Park (19-2, 6-0) went on to build a 12-point lead midway through the final quarter.

About an hour before the game, as Hogan sat in the stands and munched cookies with his new teammates, Brown said the senior guard had been cleared to play.

But Foothill Coach Bob Thate said after the game that Brown told him half an hour before tipoff not to play Hogan because he had finished the enrollment process at 1:30 p.m. and had not attended a full schedule of game-day classes as required by the section.

In another Century League game:

Orange 67, El Modena 64--Anthony Neal had 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists to help host Orange (4-17, 1-5) in the victory.