Oaks Christian wins championship in boys’ basketball

Acorn Sports Writer


MICHAEL COONS/The Acorn  ON TOP--The Oaks Christian boys' basketball team celebrates its victory over Crossroads to win the Southern Section Division IV-AA title on Friday at Loyola Marymount University. Two other OCHS teams finished first; the girls' in both basketball and soccer.

MICHAEL COONS/The Acorn ON TOP–The Oaks Christian boys’ basketball team celebrates its victory over Crossroads to win the Southern Section Division IV-AA title on Friday at Loyola Marymount University. Two other OCHS teams finished first; the girls’ in both basketball and soccer.

In only its second year of varsity play, the Oaks Christian boys’ basketball team won a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) championship when it defeated Crossroads of Santa Monica, 70-67, in a double-overtime thriller in a game played last Friday night at Loyola Marymount College.


Senior guard Aron Cline scored 19 points, including 11 in the third quarter, to lead the Lions, and junior guard Mike Hornbuckle, who scored a career-high 39 in the semifinals vs. St. Joseph’s of Santa Maria, added 16 points.


Hornbuckle’s brother, Matt, a freshman forward (both are 6-foot-2) came off the bench for 14 huge points for the Lions, including two on consecutive drives to the basket with his team behind 65-64, that put Oaks Christian ahead for good at 68-65.


The Lions’ last two points also came from off the bench as Chase Bryan, a junior guard, made two free throws, twice hitting one of two, to provide the three-point margin after Crossroads had cut the lead to 68-67.


"Just a terrific effort on everybody’s part," said Oaks Christian head coach Gary Abraham. "This is so exciting. I don’t know how many guys fouled out, but we had guys really step up."


Mike Hornbuckle fouled out with 2:06 remaining in the first OT and Cline fouled out with 45.1 seconds remaining in the second OT. Senior forward Sean Adams also fouled out in the game’s final minute.


But the Lions held on.


"Aron (Cline) played awesome, he kept us in the game in the second half," Abraham said. "And Matt Hornbuckle just played an unbelievable game in both overtimes."


Understandably, the Lions’ coach and players were overjoyed at having won Oak Christian’s first-ever CIF championship.


"It was just the most exciting game I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of," Abraham said. "We told the guys before the game it wasn’t going to take one guy—and it didn’t. It was a total team effort by our guys."


Cline said this was what he and his teammates have been waiting for.


"It’s incredible. It’s what we’ve been dreaming of all year long," Cline said. "This has been our dream, to win a CIF championship."


Cline added, "When Mike (Hornbuckle) fouled out at the end, me and Matty (Hornbuckle) went up to each other and we said, ‘C’mon, we’ve got to take over.’ Matt made some big layups down the stretch, taking it to the basket and Chase hit some big free throws for us."


Mike Hornbuckle agreed that the championship was won as a team.


"Today wasn’t a one-person thing, we played as a team," Mike Hornbuckle said. "It’s just great that everybody participated. We’re a true team."


Craig Adams, a senior forward, contributed nine points and 10 rebounds in the title game.


"It’s the most amazing feeling ever, we were in the lockerroom and we were just going nuts," Craig Adams said of the post-game celebration at Gersten Pavilion at Loyola Marymount. "We knew we’d get into the playoffs, but not the championship."


His brother agreed.


"This is only our second year, and I really didn’t think we would get this far," said Sean Adams. "I’m so excited for the seniors because this is the first championship our school’s won and we take so much pride in that."


Mark Michaelson, a senior guard, joins Cline and the Adams’ as the team’s seniors.




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