La Habra boys basketball team alone in first place in Freeway League after 57-44 victory over Sonora

Ja’len Overstreet led La Habra to a Freeway League victory Friday night.

Ja’Len Overstreet and Cameron Dashiell led a spirited second half attack propelling La Habra’s boys basketball team to a 57-44 victory over Sonora in a Freeway League game Friday night at La Habra High in front of a standing-room only crowd.

Overstreet scored 13 points and Dashiell added all of his 12 points in the second half as the Highlanders notched their 11th consecutive win. La Habra stands alone in first place of the league in league (19-2 and 4-0). 

“The difference was our defense in the second half,” said Overstreet. “We got outplayed in the first half, but in the second half we hustled more, got to more loose balls and rebounded better. It’s a great win for us and keeps us on top.”

Trailing 26-22 at the break, La Habra outscored the Raiders 19-7 in the third quarter to build a 41-33 lead after three quarters and completely turn the tide of the game. 

Dashiell and Overstreet sparked a 14-0 Highlanders run to open the quarter. Dominic Pritchell’s basket at the 3:40 mark of the quarter gave the Highlanders a 36-26 lead. Daniel Esparza’s 3-pointer with 2:40 left in the quarter finally broke the Raiders scoring drought. Marqui Worthy added a bucket in the final minute cut the lead to 41-33 after three periods.

However, the Raiders shooting went cold again to start the fourth quarter and foiled their comeback. Pritchell’s basket capped a 12-5 Highlanders run and pushed La Habra to a 53-38 lead with 2:57 to play. 

La Habra forced seven turnovers in the second half and played a relentless defense putting Sonora back on its heels. 

“We played locked down defense in the second half,” Dashiell said. “We messed up a lot in the first half, that’s why it feels so great to come back and win.”

The Highlanders played most of the first half without their leading scorer Sam Howlin, who picked up his third foul with 7:12 to play in the second quarter and did not play the rest of the half. 

Howlin, who is averaging 16.2 points per game, was held to one point and one rebound in the opening half but added 10 rebounds and two blocked shots in the second half and disrupted Sonora’s inside game to change the complexion of the game.

“He’s a special played and he’s been doing it for us all season,” said La Habra coach Aaron Riekenberg. “I’m proud of our guys. They didn’t panic and this is really a great team win.”

Sonora cut it to 53-44 on David Rosales’ jumper with 1:23 left but it was too little and too late. 

“We didn’t make shots in the second half,” said Sonora Coach Mike Murphy, “We’re a young team and we played young in the second half. We have to put this behind us. We know we can play with these guys. We’ll watch film and try to get them the next time around.”

The Raiders fell to 15-7 and 3-1. Esparza led Sonora with 11 points and Worthy added 10 points.

Luke Liebrich-Ashford scored 11 points and Pritchell added 10 points for the Highlanders.      

Worthy scored six points in the opening quarter as the Raiders came out and outhustled the Highlanders to take a 15-11 lead after the first quarter. 

Sonora kept the pressure up in the second quarter and held La Habra to one basket over the final 3:31 of the half and lead 26-22 at the break. 

-Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone