Century League : Santa Ana Breaks Press, Foothill, 74-62

The final returns showed that center Roger Flores and forward Eric Turner each scored 22 points Wednesday night to lead Santa Ana High School to a 74-62 victory over Foothill.

But point guard Rich Tellez, a 5-foot 8-inch senior, was probably the hardest working player in the Saints’ gym, and he was just as responsible for Santa Ana’s victory.

Tellez, who had eight assists, almost single-handedly broke the Knights’ full-court press in the second half, and he successfully passed off to his teammates for easy baskets.

That allowed the Saints to maintain a 10-point lead throughout the fourth period and improve their league record to 6-2 (11-7 overall). Foothill also drops to 6-2 in league (15-5 overall) and is a game behind first-place Orange.

“Every scouting report said that if you pressed us, we’ll fall apart,” Santa Ana Coach Greg Coombs said. “But Rich broke the press, controlled the offense and got the ball into the big guys. The key to beating Foothill is beating its press because they’re the type of team that can score two or three baskets before you can even call timeout.”

An even bigger key is staying ahead of the Knights. When Foothill has the lead, it likes to spread its half-court offense, make the opponent play man-to-man defense and look for either a layup or a foul. But the Knights never led Wednesday night, and they never got into their offense.

Foothill seemed impatient in the first half, as the Knights took most of their shots after just one pass. They seemed to rush their offense and, as a result, could make only 10 of their 25 shots. Foothill shot 46% (28 of 60) in the game.

The Saints’ 75% shooting performance (30 of 40) reflected their ability to get the ball inside to Flores, Turner and Jeff Stewart, who finished with 16 points and 7 assists.

Santa Ana led by five (28-23) with less than a minute to play in the second quarter, but Tellez made two free throws and a double-pump layup with four seconds left to give the Saints a 32-23 halftime lead.

Foothill scored eight straight points late in the third period to pull within four, 45-41, but the Knights’ press did not create one turnover in the fourth quarter, and they could not get any closer.

“Our inability to execute our half-court offense in the first half was the difference,” said Foothill Coach Jim Reames, whose Knights suffered their worst defeat of the season. “We didn’t have good shot selection. When we’re not shooting well or taking good shots, we’re dead.”

The Knights offense did come alive in the second half, when Jud Dutrisac scored 10 points in the third quarter and Greg Gore added 13 in the fourth. Dutrisac finished with 18, Gore 17. It was just too late.

FOOTHILL (62)--Dutrisac 18, Myers 7, Laird 14, Parker 6, Gore 17.

SANTA ANA (74)--Tellez 6, Stewart 16, Bailey 4, Flores 22, Turner 22, Nelson 2, Rettburg 2.

In other Century League action:

Orange 46, Canyon 43--The Panthers made 9 of 12 free throws in the fourth period to hold off the Comanches and take sole possession of first place with a 7-1 record (13-6 overall). Canyon’s Steve Lopez missed a 20-foot jumper with three seconds left that could have tied the game, and Orange’s Paul Bertrand was fouled on the rebound.

CANYON (43)--Rippe 10, Spencer 8, Lopez 10, Stine 6, Ream 1, Garcia 2, Salcedo 6.

ORANGE (46)--McIntire 2, Peet 6, McCoy 7, Bertrand 1, Roth 10, Hendry 20.

Santa Ana Valley 67, Villa Park 46--Alonzo Jamison scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half as the Falcons (4-4, 5-10) built a 32-20 halftime lead at Santa Ana Valley. Jamison added 13 rebounds. Earl Drake turned in an impressive all-around effort with 10 rebounds and 13 points.

VILLA PARK (46)--Ayres 5, Koob 14, Dufault 8, Christenson 2, Steensland 6, Hertel 4, Jacobs 2, Ackerman 2, Russo 1, Cosca 2.

SANTA ANA VALLEY (67)--Nelson 9, Drake 13, Jamison 16, Alls 12, Alvarez 2, Roth 5, Whitlock 10.

El Modena 56, Tustin 47--Ryan Rycraw scored 22 points to lead the host Vanguards past the Tillers (1-7, 6-13). Colin Moss added 15 points and 11 rebounds for El Modena (5-3, 11-6), and Bobby Ervin had 9 assists.

EL MODENA (56)--Moss 15, Rycraw 22, McDuffie 4, DeFeo 2, Hamlin 11, Ervin 2.

TUSTIN (47)--Piazza 9, Predney 2, Kovac 4, Anderson 11, Lay 4, O’Brien 2, Boyce 3, Gauer 12.