Century League : Santa Ana Gets By Orange and Moves Into a First-Place Tie : Teams Go Cold in Showdown by Making Only 28 of 87 Shots

Santa Ana High School sophomore Jeff Stewart was no different than anyone else in Friday night’s Century League game between the Saints and Orange in the Santa Ana gym. Stewart’s jump shot had deserted him . . . disappearing into the damp night at a most inopportune time: the night his team was playing for a share of first place in the league standings.

Wherever Stewart’s shooting touch went, it had plenty of company. Between them, Santa Ana and Orange attempted 87 shots, and only 28 of those reached their intended destination. It was almost as if the ball had developed a strange aversion to going through the net.

Fortunately for Santa Ana, Stewart was able to set it straight when it mattered most. After going 3 for 15 from the field through four quarters, the 6-2 guard made both of the shots he attempted in overtime, including a baseline jumper with 1:04 remaining that was the difference in Santa Ana’s 33-32 win.

That’s right: 33-32, in overtime. And while Santa Ana did its best to control the tempo, it wasn’t a bonafide attempt at a delay game. No, the easy night enjoyed by the scoreboard operator was simply attributed to bad shooting by both teams.

But thanks to Stewart’s two field goals and some close calls that went Santa Ana’s way in the overtime period, the Saints and Panthers finished the game in a tie for first in the league standings with 10-2 records.

After Stewart’s shot gave Santa Ana a 33-32 lead, Orange brought the ball down and got it into the hands of Eric Hendry, who began this week shooting more than 61% from the field. Hendry took a turnaround jumper from about 15 feet out that went in, seemingly giving Orange a 34-33 lead with 41 seconds to play. The basket was nullified, however, when Hendry was late-whistled for traveling.

Century League

League Overall School W L W L Orange 10 2 16 7 Santa Ana 10 2 15 7 Foothill 7 5 16 8 El Modena 7 5 13 8 Santa Ana Valley 7 5 8 11 Canyon 5 7 10 12 Tustin 2 10 7 16 Villa Park 0 12 4 17

But that would not be Orange’s last opportunity. The Panthers got the ball back with 10 seconds remaining when Santa Ana center Roger Flores, dribbling back and forth across court in an effort to run out the clock, was called for a five-second violation.

Orange called timeout to set up an attempt for the winning shot, a shot the Panthers never got a chance to take. Sean McCoy was bringing the ball down the floor for Orange when he threw a bounce pass in the general direction of the Orange bench. Unfortunately, the players on the bench were closer to the pass than any of McCoy’s teammates on the floor. A scramble for the ball ensued, and it ended with the Santa Ana in possession.

What actually happened in the scramble depends on who’s doing the explaining. Orange Coach Ed Graham, who saw the play unfold directly in front of him, said he thought the ball went off a white Santa Ana uniform and out of bounds.

“We were all right there,” Graham said. “I started turning around to get set up for a last shot.”

According to Graham, the officials ruled that an Orange player was out of bounds when he recovered the loose ball. Santa Ana Coach Greg Coombs, along with most of the approximately 1,500 spectators, had his view of the play obscured.

“I didn’t see it either,” Coombs said. “They (the officials) just pointed our way and I said, ‘Fine.’ ”

After calling two more timeouts, the Saints got the ball inbounds to Flores, who dribbled it into the front court before the buzzer sounded, ending a game that made it appear as if the players were trying to put a square ball through a round hoop.

Santa Ana won despite shooting 31% (15 of 48) from the floor. Orange had opportunities to win, despite making just 13 of 39 field goal attempts (33%). Flores was the only player unaffected by the plague of bad shooting. He was 6 of 12 from the floor and finished with a game-high 14 points, including a crucial free throw 23 seconds into overtime. He also had 14 rebounds.

But Coombs said it was the play of sophomore forward Darrell Bailey that was the biggest difference in his team’s win. Bailey took only two shots, but it was his defensive play that drew praise from Coombs. Bailey was assigned to guard Dave Roth, who came into the game averaging more than 17 points per game.

Roth’s numbers on the game: 2 of 14 from the field and 6 points.

“I thought that was the key to the game,” Coombs said. “Bailey’s the best defensive player we’ve had at this school in a long time. For him to hold Roth to six points . . . “

Graham said he told his team afterward that it was still in a position to win the league championship outright. The Panthers conclude the regular season next week against Tustin and Santa Ana Valley. Santa Ana has Villa Park and El Modena remaining on its schedule. The loss, Graham said, must be quickly forgotten.

“We just have to leave this game here,” he said.

ORANGE (32)--McIntire 2, Hendry 10, Roth 6, McCoy 4, Peet 10.

SANTA ANA (33)--Tellez 2, Stewart 11, Bailey 2, Flores 14, Turner 4.

In other Century League action:

Santa Ana Valley 51, Foothill 49--The Falcons outscored the Knights, 24-15, in the second half to win at Foothill. Alonzo Jamison led Santa Ana Valley with 20 points and teammate Eugene Alls added 15. Foothill guard Jud Dutrisac led all scorers with 19 points and teammate Ralph Laird added 17 for the Knights (8-4).

SANTA ANA VALLEY (51)--Whitlock 8, Hickman 2, Jamison 20, Alls 15, Nelson 4, Ross 2.

FOOTHILL (49)--Dutrisac 19, Gore 4, Laird 17, Briggs 2, Parker 2, Myer 5.

Canyon 68, El Modena 66 (OT)--Forward Chris Rippe scored six of his team-high 26 points in the overtime to lead the Comanches (5-7) past the Vanguards. Ryan Rycraw of El Modena led all scorers with 28 points and teammate Jason Hamlin added 17 points.

EL MODENA (66)--Moss 13, Rycraw 28, McDuffie 2, DeSeo 6, Hamlin 17.

CANYON (68)--Rippe 26, Spencer 19, Lopez 12, Stine 2, Ream 3, Garcia 4, James 2.

Tustin 68, Villa Park 60--Junior guard Kevin Anderson scored 21 points to lead the Tillers past the Spartans at Villa Park. Forward Kirby Piazza added 17 points for Tustin (2-9).

Villa Park (0-11), which cut the Tillers’ lead to two points early in the fourth quarter, was led by senior guard Matt Koob’s 20 points.

TUSTIN (68)--Gauer 8, Piazza 16, Ley 2, Anderson 21, Boyce 2, Kovac 7, Predney 2, Urschel 4, Morse 6.

VILLA PARK (60)--Ayres 11, Dufault 6, Hertel 11, Jacobs 8, Koob 20, Steensland 4.