#2 Irvine Valley (18-2, 2-0) overcame a 15-point second-half deficit and got 23 pts and 18 rebs from PF Blake Wallace, who twice extended the game with baskets, getting past local rival #4 Fullerton (14-5, 1-1) in double overtime, 91-84, in Orange Empire Conference play Friday night in Irvine.
Wallace was one of five Lasers to score in double figures, and along with Ctr Bryce Webster was one of two to post a double-double in the hard-fought victory. And it was Wallace’s 3-pointer with 10.4 seconds left in regulation that pulled Irvine Valley even for the first time since the game’s opening minutes, forcing the first of the two overtimes. Then he scored in the final minute of the first overtime, again tying the game and sending to a second extra session.
It was quite a game, and both teams are clearly among the elite in California this season. And for 25 minutes or so, it looked like Fullerton was going to come away with the victory as the Hornets built a 13-point halftime lead and extended it to 15 at 56-41 early in the second half.
But Irvine Valley rallied, cutting the margin to single digits at 59-51 after consecutive baskets by Wallace with 7:20 remaining. Then B. Webster scored on a putback to make it 59-53 with 6:52 left. The Lasers continued to chip away at the lead, making it a 4-point game at 61-57 after a pair of free throws by PG Kashif Watson with 4:37 left and still trailing by just 4 at 63-59 with less than 4 minutes remaining.
However, Watson fouled out with 3:23 left, seemingly depriving the Lasers of a key player. And when SF Justin Carter made one of the two resulting free throws, Fullerton had a 5-point lead and all of their players still in the game.
A free throw by Wallace made it a 4-point game at 64-60, and a basket by B. Webseter on a pass from SG Perry Webster made it 64-62 with 1:15 left. A pair of free throws by Carter pushed Fullerton’s lead back to 4 at 66-62 with 56.2 seconds left, and after a rebound by PF Wayne Andrews the Hornets seemed to have the game in hand.
Moments later, however, B. Webster stole a pass, which led to a basket by P. Webster that made it 66-64 with 19.4 seconds remaining in regulation. With so little time left, Irvine Valley fouled quickly, and Carter went to the line and made the first free throw. But he missed the second, keeping it a one-score game at 67-64 with 18.2 seconds left. And when Irvine Valley got the ball into the frontcourt, P. Webster passed to Wallace, who swished the 3-pointer to tie the score at 67. Fullerton PG Darrian McKinstry had a last-second chance to win the game, but his 3-point shot missed just before the buzzer to end regulation time.
In the first overtime, Fullerton scored first on a putback basket by Andrews, and held a 72-68 lead before a 3-pointer by Irvine Valley SF Jeff Ledbetter cut the margin to a single point at 72-71. Then Wallace scored on a putback to put the Lasers ahead, 73-72. But Fullerton went back in front on a 3-pointer by Carter with 45 seconds left in the first overtime, making it 75-73. However, Wallace answered back for Irvine Valley, scoring the tying basket to make it 75-75 and sending the game to a second overtime.
In the second overtime, Fullerton again went into the lead on a pair of free throws by Carter. Then Irvine Valley scored the next 5 points on a basket by Ledbetter and a 3-pointer by Anderson to make it 80-77. Fullerton, however, got a putback basket by Ctr Mike Cox and a lay-up by Andrews on a dish from Carter to go back ahead, 81-80, with 2:10 left.
That, however, would be Fullerton’s last lead of the night as Irvine Valley the game’s next 10 points to take command. A pair of free throws by Wallace with 1:49 left started the spurt, and put the Lasers back in front, 82-81. Then a 3-pointer by Ledbetter with just under a minute left made it 85-81. And a basket by Ledbetter on a pass from P. Webster moments later made it 87-81. Then SF Jason Toney grabbed a rebound off a Fullerton miss, was fouled and made two free throws with 24.9 seconds left to make it 89-81. A free throw by P. Webster with 12.0 seconds left made it 90-81 and finally clinched the win for Irvine Valley.
When the game began, Irvine Valley jumped out to an 8-2 lead. Fullerton rallied to take an 11-10 edge, however, on a 3-pointer by Andrews, erasing what would be Irvine Valley’s last lead in regulation time. And the Hornets pushed the margin into double digits at 29-19 on a pair of free throws by McKinstry and to 13 at the break after a basket by SF Ray Magee in the final seconds of the half. Then after Irvine Valley cut the lead to 9 early in the second half, Fullerton scored six straight points to take a 15-point lead at 56-41 after a pair of free throws by Andrews. That would be the high-water mark for the Hornets, however, as Irvine Valley then rallied to erase that deficit in the final seconds of regulation time.
For IVC, Wallace clearly was the standout but he had plenty of support. B. Webster, the 6-9 center, had 11 pts and 13 rebs. They were a major reason for Irvine Valley’s commanding 56-33 superiority on the boards.
Ledbetter had 13 pts, including 7 in the second overtime, and Watson had 13 pts before fouling out. Anderson had 12 pts, 3 rebs, 3 asts and 3 steals. And P. Webster had 6 pts and a team-high 5 asts, and was a key player late in regulation and in the overtimes for the Lasers. The Lasers as a team had just 11 turnovers for the game.
For Fullerton, Carter led the way with 28 pts and 10 rebs. Andrews had a solid game with 18 pts, 6 rebs, 3 blocks and 2 steals. McKinstry had 15 pts and a game-high 7 asts. And Cox chipped in with 12 pts. But the Hornet bench combined for just 8 points, and that was certainly a factor as the game continued past the two-hour mark.
box score
Friday, January 11, 2008 – 5:30 pm
at Irvine Valley College
Orange Empire Conference
Fullerton Hornets 84:
1-Justin Carter, SF – 8/16 fg, 9/14 ft, 10 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 3 pf, 28 pts
3-Darrian McKinstry, PG – 4/13 fg, 4/4 ft, 3 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl, 5 pf, 15 pts
5-Larry DeHughes, SG – 1/6 fg, 4 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 4 pf, 3 pts
24-Wayne Andrews, PF – 6/13 fg, 3/5 ft, 6 reb, 1 ast, 3 blk, 2 stl, 2 pf, 18 pts
32-Mike Cox, C – 5/6 fg, 2/3 ft, 4 reb, 1 blk, 2 stl, 4 pf, 12 pts
22-Warren Fuselier, G – 1 pf, 0 pts
45-Mitch Burrell, C – 2/2 fg, 1 ast, 4 pts
4-Calise Patterson, G – 1/2 fg, 0/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 pf, 2 pts
2-Ray Magee, F – 1/1 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 4 pf, 2 pts
team rebounds: 3
Totals: 28/59 fg (.475), 18/28 ft (.643), 33 reb, 15 ast, 8 blk, 8 stl, 24 pf, 84 pts
3-pt fg (10): Carter 3, McKinstry 3, Andrews 3, DeHughes
Fouled Out: McKinstry 4.5 secs left in 2nd OT
Turnovers (20): McKinstry 7, Carter 6, DeHughes, Andrews, Fuselier, Burrell, Patterson, Magee, team
Irvine Valley Lasers 91:
3-Kashif Watson, PG – 5/8 fg, 3/4 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 5 pf, 13 pts
5-Jason Toney, SF – 1/7 fg, 6/8 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 2 pf, 8 pts
21-Blake Wallace, PF – 9/17 fg, 4/7 ft, 18 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 23 pts
24-La’Shard Anderson, SG – 3/16 fg, 4/4 ft, 3 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 3 stl, 3 pf, 12 pts
44-Bryce Webster, C – 5/12 fg, 1/3 ft, 13 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 3 pf, 11 pts
23-Jeff Ledbetter, F – 5/12 fg, 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 4 pf, 13 pts
30-Jaron Devine, C – 2/2 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 4 pts
10-Perry Webster, G – 2/5 fg, 2/4 ft, 2 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 4 pf, 6 pts
33-Brandon Hucks, F – 0/3 fg, 3 reb, 0 pts
22-Franklin Session, G – 0/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 pt
team rebounds: 3
Totals: 32/84 fg (.381), 21/32 ft (.656), 56 reb, 18 ast, 3 blk, 8 stl, 25 pf, 91 pts
3-pt fg (6): Ledbetter 3, Anderson 2, Wallace
Fouled Out: Watson 3:23 left in regulation
Turnovers (11): Wallace 3, Anderson 2, Ledbetter 2, P.Webster 2, Watson, Toney
Halftime Score: Fullerton 40, Irvine Valley 27
End of Regulation: Tied at 67
End of 1st Overtime: Tied at 75
Fullerton led by as many as 15 (56-41 early in 2nd half)
Wallace’s 3-pointer with 10.4 seconds left in regulation forced the 1st OT
Wallace’s basket in the final second of the 1st OT forced the 2nd OT
Ledbetter scored 7 pts in the 2nd OT for IVC
