Boys basketball: Sage Hill gets first home win

NEWPORT COAST - The Sage Hill High boys basketball team scored the

first 14 points of the game, then cruised to a 60-22 nonleague triumph

over Saddleback Valley Christian to post the school’s first varsity home

victory.

Mike Fitzhugh and Kevin Joyce scored 16 and 15 points, respectively,

while freshman guard Matt Loper came off the bench to chip in a

career-high 10.

Junior center Scott Cho collected a team-high eight rebounds for the

Lightning (3-3).

Coach Gordon McNeill also praised the efforts of reserves Zach

Friedrichs (four points) and Alex Cochran (two points).

“Those guys both had quality minutes,” McNeill said.

The Lightning returns to action Jan. 4 against Whitney.

NONLEAGUE

Sage Hill 60, Saddleback Valley Christian 22

Score by Quarters

Saddleback Valley Christian 5 2 9 6 - 22

Sage Hill 22 6 17 15 - 60

Saddleback Valley Christian - Haupt 2, Kalesh 5, Lopez 2, Weikel 11,

Harrington 2.

3-pt. goals - Kalesh 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

Sage Hill - Fitzhugh 16, Joyce 15, Cho 2, Williams 4, Brewer 0, Loper

10, Freidrichs 4, Swanson 4, Youssef 3, Cochran 2, Wilkins 0, Tanney 0.

3-pt. goals - Loper 2, Youssef 1, Joyce 1, Fitzhugh 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.