By Shayan Abbasi
Fountain Valley High School boys’ basketball (5-1) put on a scoring clinic against University High School (3-3) in a thrilling nonleague game, dominating from start to finish with efficient shooting, tight defense and clutch plays, winning 94-44 on Monday.
Senior Aaron DeSantiago led the scoring effort and junior Kenneth Nguyen controlled the boards and dished out assists for Fountain Valley’s offense, while seniors Miles Dayley and Devin Payne held down the defense.
The Barons started off the game tight, with both teams trading buckets early. University jumped out to a quick lead, but Nguyen got to work on the Trojans, grabbing rebounds and setting up DeSantiago to sink a three to tie the game up.
From there, momentum swung in Fountain Valley’s favor, with Nguyen and Payne running the floor and easily finding each other for points. By the end of the first quarter, the Barons secured a 17-13 lead, with strong defensive effort and small ball movement making the difference.
In the second quarter, Fountain Valley started to pull away. DeSantiago showed off his all-around game, driving to the hoop for layups and hitting several turnaround mid-range jumpers. Dayley ignited on a scoring spree knocking down big threes from the corner and right-wing and then picking off a pass for a layup on the fast break.
University tried to stay in it with a few successful shots, but the Barons’ defense remained tight, forcing turnovers and contested shots. By halftime, the Barons built a comfortable 38-23 lead, with their fast-paced offense and strong defense keeping University at bay,
After the break, Fountain Valley came out of the gate firing, with Dayley hitting a corner three right away. DeSantiago continued to dominate as he drained a contested three then finished a tough layup off a fast break.
The Barons’ full-court press continued to pay off, causing the Trojans trouble as Payne and Nguyen stole runaway passes, leading to easy buckets in transition. The crowd was fired up as Payne hit a fadeaway jumper, and DeSantiago powered through contact for another layup. Fountain Valley was firmly in control heading to the final quarter, ahead 63-31.
The Barons closed out the game in style. Junior James Pennington crashed the boards for several rebound and second-chance points, while sophomore Isaac Chinchilla scored a deep three from the wing and a fast-break layup. Though the Trojans hit a few shots, it was not enough to slow down Fountain Valley’s red-hot offense, as the game ended 94-44.
The Barons’ next non-league game is at home on Thursday against Northwood High School (3-3) at 6:30 p.m.
