pomona v. garey 212

SoCal Prep & High School Report

Pomona Report: A Night At The
Fights Round Two--(February 12, 1998)

And we thought only the Dos Pueblos v. San Marcos games featured an undercard and a main event. Apparently the punching is becoming rampant, not only among the players (Brook Billings punching another player in the crotch, Adir Levy of Grant being punched in the face by a Canoga Park player yesterday after a game), but it's becoming rampant among the fans too.

The Pomona v. Garey game on Tuesday night was another prime example of fan hooliganism at its worst, as there was a post-game melee that included several shoving matches between players and fans, and a hot complaint from Garey coach Bill Burke. And through it all, Pomona secured at least a share of the Miramonte League championship Tuesday with a 61-52 victory over the visiting Vikings. Ninth-ranked Garey (16-9, 7-2) was done in by foul trouble and turnovers. The Vikings, who defeated Pomona, 72-62, in January, led 32-29 at half-time Tuesday, but didn't score for the first 3:46 of the third quarter and fell behind, 38-36, on a 3-pointer from Pomona's Aaron Thomas. Garey never led again. With seven minutes left in the fourth, starters Jesse Terrones, Tre Cobb and William Orozco each had four fouls. At one point, Green dribbled the length of the court and made a layup untouched for a 50-44 advantage. Terrones and Orozco wound up fouling out. Pomona coach Derick Pugh said the return of junior center Shomari Sarpy (nine points, 12 rebounds) from a stress fracture in his right wrist and the move of Green from point to shooting guard were the major differences in the rematch. "That, and the guys knew what was at stake," Pugh said.

About the post-game melee that broke out, Jerry Green told a reporter: "That's a fan-type thing." Green had 22-points, and word is he is being recruited pretty heavily now by USC, Fullerton, and possibly Cal.

Burke loudly vented to Pomona athletics director George Fullerton that he didn't appreciate Red Devil players and fans charging the Garey bench immediately after the game to celebrate the outcome that essentially gave 10th-ranked Pomona (17-7 overall, 8-1 in league) its first Miramonte League crown since 1993. Pomona can win the crown outright Thursday by defeating Walnut. "Two of their players came over and mimicked me and my guys came out to defend me," Burke said. "They tell us to control our kids and then they pull this crap. They didn't have control of their kids. That was ridiculous. We didn't do that after beating them at our place and stuff like that ruins a school district's image. That's too bad."

Fullerton said there were no arrests or injuries stemming from the incident, which lasted less than five minutes, but spilled outside the gym, too. Eight Pomona policemen entered the gym seconds after the melee began and two police cars escorted the Garey bus off Pomona property. "It's usually just a couple guys instigating the whole thing," Pomona policeman Scott Giles said. "A lot of people were just wanting to get out of here quickly, too."