The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Fremont's Ben Skinner goes up for two of his 16 points in last week's win over Saratoga.

Falcon girls beat Fremont

But Fremont boys return the favor

By Dick Sparrer

It wasn't the final game of the season in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League--but there was none more important.

The Fremont and Saratoga girls' basketball teams were going head-to-head in the final week of the league season. Each team would still have a game to play, but this one was for the league championship.

And it was Saratoga coming out on top 64-43 in the battle for the division crown. The Falcons beat the Firebirds, then came back to take Wilcox 55-34 to complete a 12-2 season in El Camino Division play.

Fremont battled back from the loss to Saratoga to beat Milpitas 52-40 to clinch second in the division at 10-4. And now both teams advance to the Central Coast Section playoffs.

The Firebirds (17-8) open the CCS Division II playoffs on the road when they visit North Salinas (19-7) on Feb. 26, 7 p.m.

In the Fremont-Saratoga game last week, the Falcons outscored the Firebirds in every period but the fourth on the road to the victory, and held a commanding 33-13 lead by the half.

La Nolia Ufondu led the Lady Birds with nine points, and Natalie Woo and Beatriz Corro had eight apiece. Charlotte Salvacion added six points, Chi Tran and Kim Johnson four each and Kristie Larkin and Jessica Ackerman two each. Salvacion and Tran each dropped three-pointers.

Fremont fought back with a 52-40 win over Milpitas to close out the league season. Ufondu led the Firebirds with 10 points, and Tran and Corro added nine apiece. Tran popped a three in the win.

Monique Gammon came through with eight points, Woo hit seven, Salvacion three and Larkin, Shade Akanbi and Samantha Hess two each. Woo and Salvacion each dropped a three.

Fremont on the road

The Fremont and Saratoga boys also met in a key game in the El Camino Division last week, but it was Fremont pulling out a key win in this one to force a tie for second in the division.

The Firebirds turned back Saratoga 81-71 to move ahead of the Falcons in the division standings. But Fremont lost 49-37 to league champ Mountain View on Friday night while the Falcons were knocking off Monta Vista.

The split for each club actually created a three-way tie for second in the division. Fremont and Saratoga ended up tied with Cupertino for second place, all three clubs at 7-5.

Fremont will now hit the road for the first round of the CCS Division II playoffs. The Firebirds take their 13-14 season record to Piedmont Hills (20-6) on Feb. 25, 7 p.m.

Melvin Rabena buried 21 points, including three three-pointers, and Darren Lang added 19 to lead Fremont to the crucial win over Saratoga last week.

Ben Skinner cashed in for 16 points, including a three, and Manuel Mendoza added 10. Reynold Carlos and Thai Kim hit five points apiece, Michael Harris and John Farhang had two each and Michael Hardwick popped one.

Lang came back with 13 points and Rabena meshed 11, but the Firebirds lost a 49-37 decision to Mountain View. Carlos hit five points, Mendoza four and Skinner and Harris two each.

Mustangs in CCS

The Homestead girls move into the CCS Division II play-offs after wrapping up the league season with a 44-28 win over Palo Alto to finish third in the De Anza Division of the SCVAL.

The Mustangs, 17-8 for the year, will host Salinas (15-8) on Feb. 26, 7 p.m.

Shelley Mellberg drilled three threes among her six field goals to finish with a team-high 15 points for the Mustangs against Paly. Michelle Wald joined Mellberg in double figures with 10 points.

Vicki Chiang fired in seven points for the winners and Julie Speckles, Tanya Green and Chris Strombel hit four each.

King's is second

The King's Academy boys finished second in the Christian Private Schools League after losing 76-59 to unbeaten Eastside last week.

Nate Morrow tossed in 20 points, but it wasn't enough for the Knights. Eastside improved to 12-0 in league with the win.

King's ended up 10-2 with an 83-77 win over Liberty Baptist later in the week. Morrow led the Knights with 17 points and Tony Castillo and Hank Spates popped 12 points apiece.

The Knights had opened the week with an 84-68 win over St. Lawrence Academy. James Terado hit a pair of threes on his way to 22 points. Morrow was close behind with 20 points and Castillo had 19.

King's Academy, now 16-9 for the year, will move into the CCS Division V play-offs this week. The Knights host Redwood Christian (12-12), on Feb. 28, 7 p.m.

Earlier in the week, the King's Academy girls will take their 19-8 record on the road to visit Fremont Christian (17-8) on Feb. 25, 7 p.m.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, February 25, 1998.
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