Men’s basketball: Bucs go cold, fall to Gauchos

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - Crunch time meant Houdini time for the Orange Coast

College men’s basketball team Friday.

The Pirates, No. 20 in the state, pulled a disappearing act in the

final three minutes in an 82-72 loss to visiting Saddleback, the state’s

No. 2-ranked team.

The Gauchos outscored OCC, 16-1, in those last three minutes as the

Bucs lost a five-point advantage and lost their lead in the Orange Empire

Conference.

“I was disappointed how we closed out this game,” Coast Coach Mark

Hill said. “To be a championship team, we have to have every play count.

We just didn’t do that tonight.”

The game could be compared to a heavyweight boxing match as the two

teams exchanged blows. But the two were not on equal footing until after

Saddleback (21-2, 6-0), built a 16-2 lead in the first 6:30.

After the Gauchos went up, 6-2, the Bucs quickly fell apart. OCC

sophomore guard Ryan Earl (13 points) went down with a left knee injury.

Then, Nick Burwell (nine points) picked up his second foul, just three

minutes in.

After Saddleback’s scoring run, the Bucs (14-7, 5-1) used a 17-4

spree, covering five minutes, as Chad Hagedorn, who scored a game-high 23

points, began to find his way inside.

Toward the end of the first half, the teams traded baskets until

Saddleback’s Kevin Williams sank a jumper at the buzzer for a 35-34 lead.

The Bucs took advantage of their opportunities at the free-throw line

as they made 15 of 16 in the first half and finished 21 of 23.

“It’s just a matter of us trying to find a way to win the basketball

game,” Hill said. “We needed to get a good shot at the end and we didn’t

do that.”

Earl returned in the middle of OCC’s first-half scoring run. He hit a

three-pointer, less than a minute after re-entering.

Earl also slowed down Saddleback’s star freshman point guard Mark

Brown, who finished with 12 points, though eight came in the first half.

“It wasn’t much of a beautiful game,” Gauchos’ Coach Bill Brummel

said. “But, it was a hard-fought game. There weren’t very many easy

shots.”

With Burwell in foul trouble, Hill looked for other players to step up

and they did. Hagedorn upped his play along with Randy Labistre (6) and

Jeremy Madrid (11), who hit a three-pointer to complete a 14-2 run,

giving the Bucs a 57-50 edge with 9:42 remaining.

“Everybody is going to get up on Nick,” Hill said. “His problem

tonight was the foul trouble ... that took him out of his game.”

The final seven minutes showed fast-paced action as both teams

streaked on transition. After Adrian Arguayo drilled a three-pointer, the

Gauchos led, 62-59, with 6:13 remaining.

OCC, however, went on a 12-4 run over the next three minutes. Madrid

grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled on the putback. But, that

would be the last field goal made for the Bucs. When he completed the

three-point play, OCC led, 71-66, but the hosts scored managed just one

Hagedorn free throw the rest of the way.

“You have to prove yourself every game,” Hill said. “You can’t sit

here at 5-1 and say you’re at the top. Nobody is going to give you

anything in this conference. You have to earn it.”

Said Brummel, “There’s a lot of emotion here. That was an even game,

basically. Two even teams. Coach Mark Hill has done a wonderful job with

what he has. They’re pretty small, but they played very hard. He should

be proud.”

ORANGE EMPIRE CONFERENCE

Saddleback 82, Orange Coast 72

Saddleback - McAfee 17, Donegan 15, Williams 12, Brown 12, Arguayo 9,

Batiste 6, Washington 4, Read 4, Bacchus 3.

3-pt. goals - McAfee 1, Bacchus 1.

Fouled out - Arguayo.

Technicals - Washington.

Orange Coast - Hagedorn 23, Earl 13, Madrid 11, Burwell 9, Webster 8,

Labistre 6, Meyers 2.

3-pt. goals - Webster 2, Madrid 1, Earl 1, Burwell 1.

Fouled out - Burwell.

Technicals - none.

Halftime - Saddleback, 35-34