Boys Hoops: Calm under pressure Pompa nails game winner; La Puente perfect in Montview

By Tyler Drohan, Correspondent
La Puente High School’s German Pompa scored the winning basket with eight seconds remaining to give the Warriors a 34-32 victory over Sierra Vista on Wednesday and keep them in first place in the Montview League. Sierra Vista senior Herman Pech scored on a turnaround jumper from the baseline to tie the game at 32-32 with 21 seconds to play. Soon after, La Puente inbounded the ball inside to Pompa, who banked in the winner. Sierra Vista got a good look on the other end, but Andres Monteon’s shot rolled out as time expired. (to continue, click thread)

The Warriors improved to 9-6 overall and 5-0 in league. The win was La Puente’s 13th consecutive league win over Sierra Vista since 2005. The Dons dropped to 9-10 overall, including 3-2 in league.

La Puente led 8-7 after the first quarter, with four points apiece for captains Brandon Rios and Pompa. The Warriors closed out the half on a 9-0 run to lead 19-15 at the break. Pompa scored four points during the run, and the senior captain finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Warriors.

Sierra Vista entered the fourth quarter with a four-point lead after closing the third quarter on a 7-1 run. La Puente, however, opened the fourth with consecutive baskets to tie the game 24-24.

“He’s not a very vocal leader, but a leader on the court,” La Puente coach Jason Aceves said of Pompa, “and he showed it today with the rebounds and the big shot at the end.”

Sierra Vista trailed 32-28 with less than two minutes to play. Senior Bernardo Pogovich tipped a La Puente inbound pass into the frontcourt and finished with a layup to close the gap to 32-30 with 1:17 to play. Pech followed with his two-pointer to tie the game before Pompa’s winning basket.

Pech finished the game with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Sierra Vista struggled against La Puente’s zone and finished with 28 turnovers.

“They’re a good team,” Sierra Vista coach Herman Flores said of La Puente. “We battle all the time, and this was our best game ever against them. We just came up short one basket, but we played a real good game.”

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