Boys Basketball: Sonora completes impressive run to Freeway League title; defeats Buena Park, 56-40

Sonora's Sean Murphy (0) is raised up as they chant "MVP" after they play Buena Park in their Freeway League game at Sonora High School in La Habra on Thursday February 11, 2016. Sonora defeated Buena Park 56-40. (Photo by Keith Durflinger/Whittier Daily News)

Sonora’s Sean Murphy (0) is raised up as they chant “MVP” after they play Buena Park in their Freeway League game at Sonora High School in La Habra on Thursday February 11, 2016. Sonora defeated Buena Park 56-40. (Photo by Keith Durflinger/Whittier Daily News)


BOYS BASKETBALL
FREEWAY LEAGUE
SONORA 56, BUENA PARK 40


LA HABRA — Sonora High School recent history includes one CIF Southern Section boys basketball title and two trips to the divisional finals.But the Raiders’ road to their fourth consecutive Freeway League title might be their best accomplishment of all.Sonora, given up for dead after back-to-back league losses in January, completed its unbelievable run to the title with a 56-40 victory over visiting Buena Park on Thursday.
Sean Murphy scored 21 points off the bench as the Raiders improved to 19-9 overall and 8-2 in league play. Kevin Marlow also had 17 points and Bryce Rutledge 11 for Sonora, which closed the league season with seven consecutive wins. It’s their fifth league title since 2011.
Joe Galvan had 13 points for Buena Park, which slipped to 20-7 and 7-3.
The key to the win was Murphy, who scored 21 points in the second half and was 5 of 7 on 3-pointers, including three during a big stretch that turned a close game into a 51-40 lead for Sonora with 2:37 to play.
Rutledge scored on a five-footer in the lane for a 42-38 lead before Murphy took over. He nailed a 3-pointer at 3:47 for a 45-38 advantage, then hit two more for the 11-point lead with just under three minutes to play.
Sonora coach Mike Murphy: “I’m just so proud of our guys. After we lost those two games, I told them we have to sweep, we have to run the table. We had to win seven in a row, and we did. We just kept getting better every game. None of these guys started last year, they were in the shadow. This was so impressive.”
Sonora’s Sean Muprhy: “I didn’t shoot well in practice. I didn’t have a great shooting year so far. I kept at it, and it went our way. It’s a great feeling.”
— Stephen Ramirez

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