Santa Ana Survives Shaky Finish to Beat Irvine Valley

Santa Ana Coach Ray Rodriguez spent his 52nd birthday watching one of the most painful finishes he has seen in a basketball game as the Dons beat visiting Irvine Valley, 67-64, in an Orange Empire Conference men’s game Friday.

Santa Ana held an 11-point lead with 2 minutes 23 seconds left and was ahead by four with two seconds left, but the Dons (15-6, 3-1) avoided overtime only when Earl Sanchez’s three-pointer bounced off the rim as time ran out.

Santa Ana’s Jehovanny Barraza made two free throws with two seconds left to put the Dons ahead, 67-63. Irvine Valley’s Commander King caught a long inbounds pass and attempted a three-pointer but was fouled hard by sophomore guard Chris Mattice with one second left.

King made the first free throw but missed the second, which was nothing new for the Lasers. Irvine Valley made only 14 of 31 free throws in the game.

King missed his third free throw on purpose but also missed the rim so Santa Ana got the ball without the clock starting.

But sophomore Brian Siddons, in the game because he’s skilled at inbounding the ball, threw a risky pass across court that went out of bounds. The turnover gave Irvine Valley the ball under its own basket with one second left. King got the inbounds pass to Sanchez, who missed narrowly.

“It’s just amazing,” Rodriguez said, “Those are my two smartest players and both sophomores. But they were playing hard. It was a learning experience.”