Agoura looks to future in boys’ basketball

The Agoura Chargers boys’ basketball season ended with last Friday’s 67-65 loss to the Panthers of Newbury Park.

Playing in the Marmonte League’s playoff deciding tournament at Westlake High School, the Chargers (10-14, 2-9) fell behind 20-17 to the Panthers at the end of the first quarter.

But Agoura caught up to Newbury Park and went ahead, 30-29, with 3:47 on the second quarter clock, then dropped behind, 36-30 at halftime.

The game continued to be hard fought during the fourth quarter. The Chargers were on top 51-50 with 7:30 left, but the Panthers inched ahead 52-51. The game was tied several times in the closing minutes.

"It was a great game and I’m sure that the fans got their money’s worth," said Newbury Park head coach Steve Johnson.

The Panthers finally prevailed when Chris Nooney (a 6-3 senior forward) scored with 1:23 left to put his team ahead, 65-63, after the team scored once more, in the fifth-place game. Randy Meru (a 6-5 senior forward) made 15 points for Newbury Park.

Along with Nooney and Meru, Johnson was proud of Case Follmer (5-11 senior guard) who scored 17 points and had 10 assists and six steals, and Jayme Miller (6-4 senior guard).

Bobby Lyons (a 6-1 senior guard) scored 17 points for Agoura. Lyons was fouled on a three-point shot attempt and had the opportunity to tie the score with 4 seconds on the clock. He hit the first two but missed the third.

"Bobby was very upset after the game that he didn’t make his third free throw," said Agoura head coach Joe Riccio. "We told him, ‘It didn’t come down to that free throw.’ If it wasn’t for his great game, we wouldn’t have been in the game. It wouldn’t have come down to that one shot."

Riccio said the team told Lyons that it was only one free throw; a 20-game season isn’t a product of one little situation. "He’s one of my captains and he’s been a pleasure to coach for the three seasons I’ve been here," said Riccio.

Matt Mejia (6-3 junior forward) scored 15 points for the Chargers and Chad Martinson (6-4 senior guard/forward) put 14 more in the basket.

Referring to Mejia, Riccio said, "Matt will be an awesome force in the Marmonte League next year. He is so strong and so big. He has not even realized his potential. We have a whole spring, summer and fall to develop him into a really, really competitive player."

In addition to Martinson, the coach said he’d miss several other graduating seniors, including Lyons, Mike Carroll, Joe Stralka, Chris De Simone and his son, Todd Riccio.

"A couple of times our kids thought they got fouled," Joe Riccio said. "They could have been fouled, but I don’t even want to blame the officials. They’re working hard, doing what they’ve got to do.

"I told our kids, ‘When we go out tonight play great defense, run our offense and we’re just as good a team as Newbury Park . . .’"

"After the game we told them that we’re so proud of them for their effort and everything they’ve done. That they should be proud that they played in this program."

The Agoura coach said that he’s beginning a tradition in which graduating seniors will pass down some part of their uniform—memorabilia such as a wrist band, head band, anything to a junior for next year—so the alumni players will always be part of the program’s legacy.

Joe Riccio called the Panthers "a very competitive team," adding that the last time the Chargers played the Panthers Newbury Park won by 16 points, 72-56.

"We did not do a good job defending their best players (in the earlier game)," he said. "I thought tonight our kids did a great job. I think where we broke down is on Newbury’s out-of-bounds plays. We did not defend.

"They inbounded the ball under their basket at least four times where they scored and normally we have nobody score on us on an out-of-bounds play. We matched up very well with them but we didn’t do a good job at that tonight."

Joe Riccio lauded Johnson for his work as the Panther coach. "Steve does a great job coaching that team," he said. "I have so much respect for him and his staff. His kids and his coaching staff are first class guys, wonderful kids."