A title for hard-working Cavs

By OC Tribune Staff on February 3, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

AARON GOMEZ (25) fast breaks for Santiago. He scored 18 points as the Cavaliers defeated Bolsa Grande 62-50 to win the Garden Grove League title Thursday night (Orange County Tribune photos by Jim Tortolano).

By Jim Tortolano/Orange County Tribune

In the split-second world of sports, there are good bounces and bad ones, and luck is about 50-50. So why do some teams do so well, year-in and year-out?

“I think we’re the hardest working team in the league,” said Matt Moorhouse, coach of the Santiago High boys’ basketball team Thursday night after the Cavaliers defeated Bolsa Grande 62-50 to win the Garden Grove League title for the third time in four seasons.

“We practice every day, we practice on Thanksgiving Day, we practice on Christmas Eve, we practice New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day. There’s no days off,” he said. “It pays off like this.”

The Cavaliers finish league play 9-1 and 19-9 overall. Bolsa is 7-3 and 14-9.

THE CAVALIERS after their Garden Grove League title win Thursday night. Coach Matt Moorhouse is at left.

Santiago jumped out to a big first half lead, but the Matadors battled back to cut the lead to 29-26 at halftime. Early in the third period, Bolsa knotted the score, stayed close and were within one point when the purple and white started firing from the outside.

Paul Soriano hit three treys at end of the third quarter and the first part of the fourth and a tight game turned into an eight-point Santiago advantage (45-37) with 6:38 to play. Xavier Ojeda’s three at the 5:30 mark put the home team up by 11.

“We’re a decent three-point shooting team when we get hot,” said Moorhouse.

The remainder of the game wound down into a parade of fouls and free throws and the visitors never got closer than 10 points.

Aaron Gomez had 18 points for Santiago, followed by Soriano with 17 and Xavier Ojeda with 16. Bolsa was led by Tri Ly with 15, followed by Tommy Pham with eight and Filliah Tauaivale with seven.

The next step for the hard-workin’ Cavs is the CIF-SS playoffs. How does Moorhouse see that unfolding?

“It’ll be tough,” he said. “Our division is tough for the playoffs. Hopefully we can win in the first round, but we’re going to get a really tough opponent.”

Until then, you can probably bet they’ll be lots of tough practices and more hard work.

Chargers win Surf League title

With a 71-65 overtime victory Thursday night over Los Alamitos, Edison’s boys’ basketball team claimed sole possession of first place and the championship of the Surf League.

The Chargers finish league play 6-0 and 24-4 overall. Los Al is 4-2 and 20-7.

In overtime, the score was knotted 65-65 until Edison hit six of six free throws to pull away and seal the win.

In the Wave League, Marina and Fountain Valley finished in a tie for the title with team posting 5-1 marks. The Vikings are 19-9 overall and Fountain Valley is 12-8.

THURSDAY BASKETBALL RESULTS

(posted as they are available)

Boys

Garden Grove League