Santa Ana holds off late charge by Century to win final summer league game 46-41

Santa Ana players and coaches celebrate after Monday’s victory over Century. (Photos Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

Santa Ana High’s boys basketball team held off a second half comeback and defeated Century 46-41 in the final game of the summer league tournament Monday night at Century.

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“They’re a very well respected team in Orange County this year so for us to get a win is huge for us,” said Santa Ana Coach Fareed ElMasry. “I have a lot of respect for what they do at Century and Andres (Coach Hernandez) has taken over and he’s doing a heck of a job down there.

“We lost a strong lead and you could kind of see our youth come out in the second half.”

Leading the way for the Saints was sophomore guard Xavier Valdovinos, who scored 21 points and made three 3-pointers.

Santa Ana led 26-13 at halftime before Century charged back, cutting the lead to 35-32 on two free throws by German Rojas with 5:22 left in the game.

However, Valdovinos countered with a two point basket and a 3-pointer to put the game out of reach.

“He was our sixth man last year as a freshman and this year as a sophomore he has a weird role where we need him to be a leader but he’s also one of the young guys, so it’s been tough for him at times where he gets frustrated,” ElMasry said of Valdovinos. “I think he will find his role eventually.”

Valdovinos was excited his squad pulled off the victory.

“It was just a team win,” said Valdovinios. “We just learned from our mistakes from the last games, we talked about it in practice and helped each other and just took the win.”

Valdovinos said he was glad to be have hit the two big shots down the stretch for the Saints, who were 15-14 last season and finished in second place in the Orange Coast League.

“It was just in the moment, open shot, I work on those in practice, open shots and off the dribble shots,” he said.

Kristian Soto added 10 points and Sebastian Olvera had eight for the Saints.

Century was led by Rigo Ramirez who had 17 points.

“It was a little lackluster, a little flat,” Hernandez, the Century coach said. “Santa Ana was a tough match-up for us today. They have two big guys, two athletic guys and they’re bigger and stronger than just about any of our guys we have. Trying to match up man to man with them was probably a mistake on my part but we will live and learn from it and we will get better.

“Their kids are gritty and they play hard. It took us 35 minutes to realize we have to really match their effort. It was a little too late.”

Hernandez said he was pleased with the play of Ramirez and Luis Moran (who were both all-Orange League players) and Damian Martinez, “who is learning and doing a great job.”

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com