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One spark makes big difference for Valencia boys basketball in victory over Laguna Hills

January 16, 2025

LAGUNA HILLS – For 13 minutes Valencia’s Dylan Cheng bided his time. Helped his basketball teammates out any way he could. Any way but scoring. Scramble for a loose ball. Play tough defense on the point guard. Scrap, scrap, scrap.

But then Cheng made like an assassin and delivered a couple of lethal shots to the heart of Laguna Hills.

Cheng’s sudden outburst provided a cannon-burst of momentum Wednesday as Valencia seized control of the Golden West League with a 66-56 victory at Laguna Hills.

Cheng only made three field goals during the game, but his timing was spot-on.

“You could definitely feel the momentum shift,” Laguna Hills coach Sean Sargeant said. “It never feels good going into the half having someone hit a couple of shots like that on you.”

Holding a 20-19 lead, Cheng converted a steal into a bucket from the top of the key for a 23-19 advantage with 3 minutes left in the second quarter. Fourteen seconds later, he waylaid Laguna Hills from the corner for a 26-19 advantage.

Momentum shift? With Laguna Hills reeling and having to defend the perimeter, the Tigers (16-7 overall, 3-0 league) began driving the lane and going to the foul line, converting 5 of 8 – including 5 of their last 6 – for a 33-23 lead going into the break. They finished 13 of 21 on the night.

Laguna Hills (8-15, 3-1), which had to forfeit five games this season because a player was ruled ineligible, never got closer than eight points, 48-40, the rest of way.

“Despite not getting any buckets, I know I can contribute in other ways by playing defense, locking up, getting rebounds, or creating for my teammates,” Cheng said. “Once I’m in a groove – we call it a flow state – I’m feeling good.”

Feeling good spread to everyone as Valencia won the hustle game. And even though they were predictably out-rebounded, they scored nine points off second-chance opportunities, only six fewer than Laguna Hills. Valencia was outrebounded only 34-29.

Tigers coach Danny Ortega credited Phillip Nguyen with stepping up in the second quarter to get some big rebounds. Nguyen had a team-high six rebounds.

“(Cheng) and Aidan Tom]are are our anchors and everyone else scores by committee,” Ortega said. “They’ve been with me for three years. Watching these two grow as young men and as players – we’ve talked about these moments, stepping up to the line and being confident, and they showed exactly that. It’s senior year, it’s time for you to own it, and it showed tonight. They came through when we needed them in the clutch.”

And own it they did. Cheng owned the storyline with his two key buckets, and Tom owned the third quarter with a succession of 3-point baskets. His first was in the opening minute for a 36-23 advantage. His second, from the wing, made it 39-27 at 4:23. His third made it 46-32 with 2:18 left in the quarter. Valencia made only four field goals in the third quarter, but Tom and the Tigers made them count.

It was enough to hold off a run by Laguna Hills, which pulled to within 49-40 entering the fourth quarter.

Tom finished with a team-high 22 points, and Cheng had 13. Rocky Whipple added 12. The Tigers were much smaller than Laguna Hills, but their experience – Valencia has 14 seniors and two juniors on its roster – was enough to carry the day.

Jackson Burnham scored a game-high 27, and Myles Mittelsteadt scored 12, four below his average. Critically, the talented 6-6 sophomore was limited to only two field goals.

Sargeant saw a silver lining. In the same way that Valencia is experienced, his team is young – it started a senior, a junior, two sophomores, and a freshman point guard. Outside of the burst at the end of the second quarter, Laguna Hills basically played even with Valencia.

“We got caught up in their game, which is fast-paced, disruptive,” Sargeant said. “But we showed that we belong. It just took us getting hit a little bit to figure it out.”

Hit right in the heart.

Orange County Register

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One spark makes big difference for Valencia boys basketball in victory over Laguna Hills

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