Rancho Alamitos finishes unbeaten in league
GARDEN GROVE — Rancho Alamitos guard Henry Nguyen didn’t make the freshman boys basketball team his first year of high school.
When Tod Frank became the varsity coach the following season, he immediately put Nguyen on the team after noticing him in the gym every day over the previous year. At the end of Nguyen’s junior year, Frank pulled him aside and told him this was his team.
“I told him, you’re my MVP,” Frank said. “As much time you put in the gym, you’re going to be MVP.”
Rancho Alamitos fans didn’t hear the conversation but they might as well have. The home crowd chanted “M-V-P” at its senior star sank six free throws to seal a 73-64 victory on Wednesday against Los Amigos, while also clinching a perfect season in the Garden Grove League.
The Vaqueros (20-4, 10-0) now await the announcement of the CIF-SS Division 3AA playoff bracket on Sunday.
“Playoffs are always tough,” Frank said. “We’ll see, maybe we can win a few. … We’re going to win CIF. How about that?”
Nguyen scored 30 points, including at least seven in each quarter. He also made four 3-pointers, this from a kid whose poor shooting form was the reason he didn’t make the team four years ago.
“I changed his shot,” Frank said. “He wanted to change it. He didn’t have an outside shot. He shot two-handed.”
The Vaqueros featured several refined shooters, as five other players scored at least five points.
“We got kids who can shoot outside,” Frank said. “The 3-pointer is something we live and die by. Most of the time we live by it.
Los Amigos (11-11, 4-6) was led by guard Jorge Bedolla (22 points) and forward Raymond Rembert (17 points).
The Lobos nearly upset the Vaqueros a few weeks ago, losing by just one point on their home court. They trailed 37-36 at halftime when Nguyen quickly made three consecutive jumpers as Rancho extended its lead to seven by the end of the third quarter. The Vaqueros held onto their lead in the fourth thanks to 12 free throws.
