FV Barons capture Valley Christian tourney title

Battling back from a 17-point deficit in the championship game of the Cerritos Valley Christian Tournament, the Fountain Valley High boys’ basketball team overcame the La Verne Bonita Bearcats to claim a 66-61 victory and the tourney title.

Junior guard Matt Serven scored 21 points and assisted 10 baskets and was named the MVP of the tournament. Sophomore guard Spencer Serven also had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guards Mike Lightbody (six rebounds) and Sean Huynh each scored nine points, and sophomore forward Josh Gray and junior forward Jake Loundenback each had six points.

Lightbody and Huynh, the latter taking over the point guard position for the tournament, both were name to the all-tournament team.

The Barons, with a roster that sports no player bigger than 6-foot-3, improved to 8-2 overall. They upset (47-42) host Valley Christian which had a lineup that included three starters standing 6-4, 6-5 and 6-8, in the semifinals Friday to get a shot at the tourney title.

“Our guys took away their strengths and stayed to ours,” Fountain Valley Coach Steve Schultz said. “The championship game was a totally different game plan because Bonita is bigger and stronger than us, but not as big as Valley Christian. They came out hot and we were down (17) in the second quarter and we went into halftime down 14 points. We always tell the guys that losers look for an excuse why it is OK to lose and winners hold on to a reason why they will win.

“At halftime, we completely changed our defense and put in a brand new offense. We didn’t look at the scoreboard but focused on executing one possession at a time. We kept asking our guys if they believed we were going to win and you could see in their eyes that they really did. We have been talking about ‘championship eyes’ and, ‘strong face’ all week, and these guys showed great resilience.”

Fountain Valley is back in action Dec. 26 for the start of the Estancia Tournament.

—

•Edison scored a 73-52 victory Tuesday over Valencia/Placentia in an opening game at the Irvine World News Tournament at Irvine High. Junior guard Randall Walker led the scoring with 23 points, junior guard Nate Matthews had 19 points, and sophomore guard David Atencio added 11 points for the Chargers (6-1).

The Irvine World News Tournament continues daily through Saturday.

In its final game Saturday at the Beach Bash at Corona del Mar High, Edison took care of Palisades, 72-45, to cap a 4-1 tourney run. Matthews scored 19 points, senior center Tommy Barlow 17 points, and Walker 10 points for the Chargers’ whose lone loss was to Mater Dei (83-44, Dec. 10).

Matthews and Walker were named to the all-tournament team.

“Happy to go 4-1 with only loss to Mater Dei,” Edison Coach Rich Boyce said.

—

•Huntington Beach started play Tuesday at the Charlie Wilkins Memorial Tournament at Westminster High and turned back La Palma Kennedy, 70-58. Junior guard Noah Gonzalez scored 19 points, senior guard Nate Klein nine points, and junior guard Alekos Mitchel eight points for the Oilers (4-4).

In a nonleague game Friday between city rivals, Huntington sank 15 three-point shots and turned the game at the outset of the second half en route to a 90-70 victory over visiting Ocean View. Gonzalez registered game-bests in points (22) and three-point shots (seven) and paced four Oilers in double-figures. Senior guard Sean Strom had 19 points, senior forward Reed Slack 13 points, and junior guard Hayden Moore 12 points.

The Oilers started the second half on a 23-2 run to take control.

“This was a great win for us early in the season,” Huntington Coach Billy Thompson said. “It is nice to pull of a victory against a very talented and well-coached team in Ocean View. Our guys proved to our coaching staff that they are capable of playing at a high level. It is going to be our job to challenge them and push them to that level the rest of the season.”

In its home opener Dec. 9, Huntington edged El Toro, 58-57, getting 18 points and seven steals from Strom.

—

•Ocean View was victorious in its Loatella Tournament opener Tuesday, pulling away in the second and third quarters to defeat Godinez, 64-49. Senior guard Zamir Kelly hit four three-point shots en route to a game-high 16 points to go with 10 assists. Sophomore guard Paul Head had 15 points and four assists, senior forward Christian Anderson scored 15 points, and sophomore center Mehkel Harvey had eight points and six rebounds for the Seahawks (5-3).

The Seahawks also played a tournament game Wednesday against co-host Katella. The score wasn’t available at press time. The tournament runs daily through Saturday.

Ocean View was coming off a 90-70 loss Friday at Huntington Beach. Kelly had 16 points (three three-point shots), four rebounds, four steals and five assists, sophomore guard Bryson Betti (four three-pointers) also had 16 points with seven assists, and Harvey 15 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.

“Huntington Beach played with great intensity and, unfortunately, we didn’t match it,” Ocean View co-head Coach Tim Walsh said. “Our guys had a chance to compete against a team that creates their own luck by leaving it all on the floor. It was great example for our guys, and hopefully we can learn from this.”

—

•Marina wrapped up play Saturday and a 3-1 record at the Artesia Tournament with a 63-51 victory over Glendale Hoover. Senior forward Buzz Stafford had 16 points and 11 rebounds, freshman forward Jakob Alamudun 14 points and 10 rebounds, senior guard Braden Meyers 13 points, and senior guard Ethan Young 10 points.

Stafford was named all-tournament.

Marina entered the week 8-1 overall.

“We played well as a team all week,” Marina Coach Nick Racklin said of his team’s tourney run. “Even in the loss to North [Torrance], we played well, I thought. We are learning more and more every day, and our chemistry of a new team is coming around.”

Marina was scheduled to take on Fullerton Sunny Hills in a nonleague game Wednesday. The score wasn’t available at press time. The Vikings start play Thursday up north at the Les Curry Tournament at Davis High, taking on host Davis. The tournament runs through Monday.

—

•Brethren Christian went 2-2 last week — its first week of the season, at the La Verne Calvary Baptist Tournament, ending its four-game schedule with a 60-40 loss to Helendale Academy of Careers and Exploration (ACE). Junior guard Joey Gutierrez, who made the all-tourney team, led the Warriors with 11 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

“With very limited practice time with the whole team together, we treated the tournament as organized practices,” BC Coach Jon Bahnsen said. “To come away with a few victories was good, but I was more impressed with how the team is quickly coming together.”

BC took on Anaheim Western in a Loatella Tournament game Wednesday. The score wasn’t available at press time. The tournament runs through Saturday.

—

CIF Weekly Rankings

(first poll of season; released Monday)

Division 2AA: Edison, No. 4.

Division 2A: Marina, No. 11.

Division 3A: Ocean View, No. 14.

Division 5A: Brethren Christian, No. 13.