Indians pull off thrilling upset

Jim Riggio

The Burroughs High boys’ basketball just doesn’t seem to want to

depart from CIF Southern Section playoffs -- it’s having too much

fun.

Burroughs pulled off another upset Tuesday evening, defeating

visiting Fullerton, 65-56, to advance to the Division IIA

quarterfinals for the first time since 1998.

The Indians will play No. 2-seeded Lakewood Mayfair Friday at a

site to be determined by a coin flip. Mayfair defeated Tustin, 57-51,

in overtime.

“I felt we didn’t play well in league because of size problems,”

said Burroughs Coach Art Sullivan, whose team went 2-8 in the

Foothill League and finished fifth. “But tonight, we proved we can do

it.”

Fullerton finished second in the Freeway League and Burroughs is a

wild-card entry.

Burroughs (14-14) overcame a distinct height disadvantage, as

Fullerton (22-7) had 6-foot-11 sophomore Brett Hoerner and 6-6 junior

Darren Fells going up against Burroughs’ 6-2 Kris Jones and 6-1 Peter

St. Hubert on the interior.

“None of the centers are as quick as me, and they don’t expect me

to jump as high as I do,” said Jones, who had 11 points and 11 rebounds, equaling Hoerner’s rebound total.

“Everyone underestimates us because we did so bad in league. We

didn’t expect to go this far, but everyone has come to play

basketball and we’re having fun.”

Sullivan said the play of Jones and St. Hubert has been tremendous

in the playoffs.

“He guards everyone’s biggest and best player,” Sullivan said of

Jones. “Peter was disappointed in his [regular] season, so he wanted

to have another season.”

Burroughs overcame an 11-point first-quarter deficit to go up by

10 in the fourth.

“It didn’t bother me. Sometimes you don’t come out strong,”

Sullivan said. “They’re playing disciplined and aren’t taking bad

shots.”

Jones’ three-pointer with 2:23 left recharged Burroughs, after

Fullerton overcame a nine-point deficit to start the fourth quarter

to tie the score at 49.

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BOX SCORE

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Fullerton 19 8 10 19 -- 56

Burroughs 8 17 21 19 -- 65

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FULLERTON

Fells 23, 7 rebounds, Hoerner 17, 11 rebounds, Hicks 12, Caine 4. *

Three-pointers: Hicks 2

BURROUGHS

Paysinger 16, St. Hubert 14, Jones 11, 11 rebounds, Bernard 8,

Inmaung 8, Radino 5, Adams 3. * Three-pointers: Bernard, St.

Hubert, Jones, Radino

*--*