Fay, Houchin Lead Buena Past Ventura

There is little doubt that Lance Fay, who averages 30 points a game and seems to invent another shot each outing, is the main reason the Buena High boys’ basketball team sits atop the Channel League standings.

He hit four three-point baskets, nine of 11 free throws, and even sank a layin as he crashed to the floor Friday night against cross-town rival Ventura. Fay finished with a game-high 33 points to lead the Bulldogs to a 78-70 victory in a Channel League game at Ventura College.

He even departs the postgame locker room in style; a gym bag slung over one shoulder and a note from a college recruiter dangling from his fingertips.

But while Fay seems to find the limelight like his jump shots find net, teammate Nick Houchin stands obscurely in a corner of the locker room. Dressed in denim shorts and wearing glasses, Houchin looks as if he came from the library, not from a performance in which he hit three three-point baskets and scored 19 points.

Houchin kept Ventura’s defense from keying on Fay, a fact not lost on Fay.

“I love it when Nick plays well,” Fay said. “I don’t have to make all my shots because I can dish it to him. They can’t key on me because he’ll go off.”

Houchin, a 5-foot-11 senior guard, was among several Bulldogs who played important roles as Buena improved to 9-4 overall, 3-0 in league play.

Doug Wilder had 10 points and 10 rebounds, Jeff Dunn scored 10 points and Andy Saint added nine rebounds for Buena. Saint, a 6-5 senior forward whose career has been interrupted by several injuries, also played a key defensive role in limiting Ventura center Randy Martinez to 21 points. Martinez had 27 points and 11 rebounds Wednesday in a 93-73 win over Oxnard.

Ventura (11-3, 2-1) faced a 17-point deficit with five minutes left but scored 12 unanswered points and pulled within 65-60 on Martinez’s jump shot with 2 minutes 46 seconds left. Buena built its lead to 72-62, then kept Ventura at bay by hitting eight of its last 10 free throws--including the front end of all five of its one-and-ones. Buena finished 19 of 25 (76%) from the line.

Ventura, which was only 13 of 35 (37%) from the field in the second half, could get no closer than seven thereafter. Darien Roberts (15 points), Martin Nunes (13) and Curt Vaughan (10) each scored in double figures for the Cougars, who finished 43% from the field and 56% from the free-throw line.

“We have a few things we need to work on,” Ventura Coach Dan Larson said. “But all credit goes to Fay, Houchin, and the Bulldogs.”