VILLA PARK — Villa Park could have been shell-shocked after blowing a five-point lead with 25 seconds to play in regulation and being forced into overtime against Orange Glen of Escondido in a CIF Southern California Division III regional semifinal Tuesday at Villa Park.
Instead, the Spartans turned up the intensity and defeated the Patriots, 72-62, to reach Saturday’s regional championship game against Colony of Ontario.
Yes, that’s the same Colony that prevented Villa Park (26-6) from winning the CIF Southern Section Division 2AA on March 4.
The Spartans, seeded second, had been hoping for a second shot at Colony, seeded first, from the start of the state playoffs.
Saturday night’s game, which will be played at Colony High, is the Spartans’ reward for the toughness and tenacity it took to advance past Orange Glen (23-10), which played with plenty of intensity and toughness, too.
The regional semifinal was a face-to-face battle in the trenches.
Villa Park never trailed in the four-minute overtime, which began with Myles Franklin making a 3-pointer for a 58-55 lead.
The Patriots trailed, 59-58, with 2:51 to play when the Spartans went on a 7-1 spurt to forge a 66-59 lead with 63 seconds remaining.
Caleb Banuelos began it with a drive from the wing to score on a short bank shot and Mathew Lanzone followed with a two-hand offensive rebound and basket.
Michael Diaz made a free throw to cut Orange Glen’s deficit to 63-59. Banuelos, a 6-foot senior guard, answered with a 15-foot jumper that put Villa Park in control, 65-59.
Myles Franklin made 4 of 6 free throws and Lanzone 3 of 4 in the final 63 seconds to secure the victory.
Villa Park led, 55-50, with 25.8 seconds remaining in regulation.
Orange Glen’s Caedon Palmer made a 3-pointer from the corner. The Patriots full-court pressed and Diaz stole the in-bound pass under the Villa Park basket and scored with 12 seconds left to tie the score.
Villa Park’s Tane Sedgwick had his 3-pointer from the corner bounce off the rim at buzzer.
Banuelos scored 20 and Myles Franklin 19. Lanzone had 13 points and nine rebounds.
Palmer led Orange Glen with 20 points.
