Sbernardino

SoCal High School & Prep Report

San Bernardino: Eisenhower v. Fontana--(February 7, 1998)

This game is always the showdown event of the season in the Inland Empire, and last night's game between Eisenhower (Trenell Eddings, Derrick Benjamin) and Fontana (Glen Summerall) didn't disappoint, as Eisenhower point guard Trenell Eddings scored 36 points on Fontana Friday night as the game went to overtime. In the overtime, Eddings missed his last five field goal attempts, and Fontana pulled off the upset, beating Eisenhower in overtime 94-91.

The loss probably means that the defending-champion Eagles will not win the Citrus Belt league title this season, and will have to share it. Ranked No. 3 in the Inland Empire area, Eisenhower now trails first place Redlands with only two league games left to play. Eisenhowere is 20-4 overall, and 6-2 in league. Redlands is 7-1 in league while fifth-ranked Fontana, which is 18-6 overall, is also now 6-2 in league play, but still has a game left with the Redlands Terriers, and thus has a chance to move up, while Eisenhower doesn't.

Fontana forward Gary Holmes' free throw with four seconds remaining in regulation forced the OT. A 3-pointer by Fontana's Baron Baker gave the Steelers an 89-87 lead with 1:23 left in the overtime, and Eisenhower, which had defeated Fontana four consecutive times, never caught up. Fontana was patient, and took their time setting up for their shots in the overtime and played great defense.

Eddings shot very well during regulation, but just went cold in the overtime. Eddings was hitting from everywhere, especially from three-point range as during regulation play he hit seven of the Eagles' 14 three-pointers. But Eddings and teammate Paul Jourdain, Eisenhower's 3-point specialist, who also misfired on his last five 3-point tries, similarly went cold during overtime. And Fontana, on the other hand, hit its key shots, some of which rolled in, and they extended Eisenhower's shooters out even farther in overtime with a 2-3 zone defense which seemed to cut off any chance for a good penetration by Eddings or Jourdain.

Benjamin, a senior and the younger brother of Oregon State star Corey Benjamin, put the Steelers ahead, 91-87, by following his own miss with a layup and Baker's two free throws with 23 seconds left gave his team a 94-87 lead. Glen Summerall led the Steelers with 23 points and 14 rebounds, James Dowe contributed 24 points and Benjamin and Baker added 16 apiece.

This game was just a wild three point shooting contest. Both teams combined for 23 three-pointers, Eisenhower for 14, and Fontana for 9.

Eisenhower, which had previously defeated the Steelers this season in the San Bernardino Kiwanis Tournament championship and in the January 20th league game, had a three-peat in mind when it jumped to a 40-27 second quarter lead. That's when Eagle guard Darius Davis, who personally had hit seven 3-pointers last Tuesday during a league victory against Rialto, injured his left ankle and left the game. Fontana's 11-3 run to start the third quarter gave the Steelers a 47-46 lead. Eleven lead changes and six ties followed. In the final minute of the game, the pace reached a frenzy as the Eagles made the comeback from seven points down on Roc Cameron's layup and game-tying free throw. A Summerall free throw made it 81-80, and then Cameron hit a short bank shot to give the Eagles an 82-81 lead, but Dowe came back with a 10-footer. Eddings then got the assist to Michael Jones who scored a layup with 16 seconds remaining. Holmes had the chance to give Fontana a regulation victory with a pair of free throws, but made only the first.

Quite a game. Big time players. Big time score. Big fun.