Surprising Alemany Topples 3rd-Seeded Western, 55-52

Alemany High, those giant killers from the Mission League, felled another big opponent Friday night, cutting down third-seeded Anaheim Western, 55-52, at Glendale College to advance to the Southern Section III-AA Division semifinals.

In Tuesday’s semifinal round, the Indians (12-16), fifth-place finishers in their league, will meet Pomona, a 69-62 winner over Compton Centennial on Friday.

“We got ‘em, baby. Final four. Final four,” an ecstatic Alemany Coach Kurt Keller said afterward. “We’re creeping up on everybody. We’re shocking people. Our league is very tough, and if anyone doesn’t think so, they should come and play in it.”

Keller will get no argument from Western (22-4). Alemany, which committed just eight turnovers against Western’s pressure defense, took the lead for good late in the first period.

The Indians led, 29-20, at halftime, but things got tense when Western closed out the third quarter with a 12-2 run to trail by just three points, 41-38.

A scoop shot by Tom Barraza, who led Western with 20 points, cut the lead to 49-48 with just over two minutes to play, but Alemany scored its final six points from the free-throw line.

Richard Dice (game-high 21 points) was four of four from the line in the final two minutes, including two pressure free throws with 15 seconds remaining that put Alemany ahead, 55-50.

Alemany’s Will Burr added 13 points.