FULLERTON – Cameron Dashiell did not act his age during Buena Park’s 70-63 victory over Troy in a Freeway League boys basketball game Friday night.
The freshman made 7 of 8 free throws down the stretch to seal the victory for the Coyotes and help them start 4-0 in league.
“Just breathe twice, shoot how you know how to shoot and relax,” Dashiell said of his approach at the free-throw line.
Now in his third season, Coach Aaron Riekenberg has guided Buena Park (17-4) from the bottom of the league to the middle of the pack last season, and now has the Coyotes in position to win the league title.
“To these boys it means nothing,” Riekenberg said of his team’s unbeaten start in league. “They want league. It’s not good enough just getting to 4-0. They have a goal and they’ve been working for it since day one when we got knocked out in the third round of the CIF last year.”
After a hectic third quarter in which both teams turned the ball over liberally, Troy (11-8, 2-2) held a six-point lead.
“Early on we weren’t adjusting to seeing your teammate get doubled and you’re away from the ball,” Riekenberg said. “They started flashing to the ball and helping their teammates out.”
Buena Park was poised to take a three-point lead into halftime, but Troy’s Collin Lee banked-in a three from a few feet beyond the arc as time expired to knot the game at 30.
Dashiell scored 22 of his 28 points in the second half, helping Buena Park maintain a slim lead over Troy for the entire half. Joe Galvan and Ryan Nelson joined their teammate in double figures with 18 and 10 points, respectively.
Josh Norwood (14), Semir Shafi (12), Ryan Mickle (12) and Lee (10) paced the Warriors offense.
