Lions ranked third as league season begins

MICHAEL COONS/The Acorn TOUGH ON DEFENSE--Scott Freeman, right, and Matt Hornbuckle of Oaks Christian block the shot of Arrowhead's Tyler Light during a game last week. The Lions, 14-2, are having a terrific season.

Brothers Mike and Matt Hornbuckle combined for 42 points in leading the Oaks Christian boys’ basketball team to 92-52 win over Arrowhead Christian in a game played at OCHS in Westlake Village last week.

In the win, which should have solidified the Lions status as the No. 3 ranked team in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Division IVAA, brothers Craig and Sean Adams also combined for 18 points (nine apiece). Mike Hornbuckle led OCHS with 22 points and 11 players scored for the Lions.

"We’re really deep this year," said Lions’ head coach Gary Abraham after his team improved to 14-2. "It’s really a neat thing but it’s tough to find enough minutes for all the guys that we have on the team. But our guys have been really good about it this year."

After playing Kilpatrick in the final non-league game last Friday, the Lions were slated to begin Frontier League play vs. Santa Clara at home Tuesday and on the road Friday at Nordhoff in Ojai.

"We’re really looking forward to being in the Frontier League this year," Abraham said after the win over Arrowhead Christian. "I think it’s going to be exciting for us."

Against Arrowhead Christian, Chase Bryan scored seven points, Aron Cline and Alec Avedissian had six, Scott Freeman scored five, Brandon Denham and Joe Guiliani had three, and Mark Michaelson contributed two.

Four Lions players, Avedissian, Mike and Matt Hornbuckle, and Cline, spoke to The Acorn about the season so far.

"I think we’re doing alright," said Avedissian, a junior. "But we could get a lot better. We need to rebound better."

Avedissian noted that the Lions are primarily the same team only a year older. Last season, there weren’t any seniors.

"We have pretty much the same group of guys, so we’re all pretty close," said Avedissian. "We’ve all grown up and I guess we’ve all gotten a lot better."

Mike Hornbuckle, a junior, said the team is right on target at this point in the season.

"It seems like we’re meshing as a team," he said. "We’re all working hard in practice and we’re right about where I think we should be."

The transition game and perimeter shooting are team strengths according to Mike Hornbuckle. "If we fast break like we can, I don’t think there are many teams that can stop us," he said. "And if we’re shooting the ball like we can, it’s hard to guard us."

Matt Hornbuckle, a freshman, is glad to finally have a chance to play with his older brother.

"I’ve always wanted to play on the same team as him, but I was never good enough," he said. "I pretty much knew everybody on the team because last year they came over to our house a lot, so we were all friends even before the season started."

About his goals for this season, Matt Hornbuckle said, "We want to win the Frontier League and we also want to win CIF."

Cline, a senior, said the Lions are good enough to contend for both.

"I still think we should be No. 1," he said of the No. 3 ranking. "The reason why we’re not is because we kind of play some weak competition. I would like to play some of the big Marmonte League teams around here, but none of them will schedule us."

About his role on the team, Cline said, "I’ve got to run the floor as the point guard and be the general." And about the team as a whole, he added, "Everybody’s contributing."

Abraham hopes his players are taking it one game at a time.

"I hope our guys aren’t looking to CIF right now," he said. "Because if we are, we’re looking too far ahead. We need to get through our non-league schedule first and then to make sure that we’re as prepared as we can possibly be for Frontier League play."

Abraham is pleased, though, with the progress. If the team shoots well and rebounds, it should be tough to beat, he said.

"You know what?" he asked. "This has been just an absolutely great group. In two years, I think we’re 37-4. The attitudes are really good. I tell them all the time, if we shoot well and rebound well—because I know we play pretty good defense—I think we can play with almost anybody."