Rolling Hills 3-Pointers Overcome Leuzinger Lead

Never underestimate the comeback power of the three-point shot. Especially when Steve Clover and Chad Heitzler, long-range specialists for Rolling Hills High School, are doing the shooting.

Leuzinger’s basketball team learned that lesson the hard way Thursday.

Trailing by 13 points with just under five minutes to play, Rolling Hills caught the Olympians in a hailstorm of three-pointers and pulled out a 73-72 Bay League victory on Heitzler’s two free throws with four seconds remaining at Leuzinger.

“We haven’t found ourselves yet,” said Titans Coach Cliff Warren, whose team is still in the bottom half of the league with a 3-6 record. “But this has to help.

“We’ve lost the feeling of invincibility that we’ve always had at Rolling Hills. We’re going to get it back.”

However, even the optimistic Warren said he had given up hope of a victory when the Titans still trailed, 67-57, with three minutes left.

“I told the players to cut it close,” he said.

Clover and Heitzler did more than that. The guards, who combined for 25 of Rolling Hills’ 29 fourth-quarter points, each hit three three-pointers in the last 4 1/2 minutes to account for their team’s last six baskets.

Heitzler capped the onslaught with a trey following a steal by Clover to put the Titans ahead, 69-68, with 1:28 left, their first lead since early in the third quarter.

After Leuzinger guard Marvin Felix and Clover each hit two free throws, the Olympians took their final lead when Felix sank a leaning bank shot in the key with 15 seconds left to make it 72-71.

Rolling Hills managed to get the ball up court against Leuzinger’s pressure and into the hands of Heitzler, who was fouled by Felix as he penetrated along the left base line. After a Leuzinger timeout, the junior sank both ends of the one-and-one to send the Olympians to a demoralizing defeat.

Rolling Hills improved to 11-10 overall. Leuzinger dropped to 11-6 and 5-4 in league play.

“It was a joke, one big joke,” Leuzinger Coach Phil Sherman said. “I’ve never been involved with anything like that in my life as a coach.”

Then, sarcastically, he said: “It takes talent to lose a 13-point lead in the last five minutes.”

Sherman was most disappointed with his team’s defense down the stretch.

“We were in a man-to-man to crowd their guys (Clover and Heitzler) and make them take twos,” he said. “And, low and behold, they got threes.”

Overshadowed in the last-minute heroics was an outstanding all-around effort by Rolling Hills center Roger Hendrix. The 6-foot-6 junior led the Titans with 26 points and 13 rebounds, and almost single-handedly kept them close while Clover struggled in the first three quarters.

Before hitting his last three shots, Clover was three of 17 from the floor. The 6-4 Pepperdine recruit finished with 21 points, 13 in the fourth quarter, and five three-pointers. He had 10 rebounds.

“He’s feeling a little strained,” Warren said of Clover, who has been bothered by bronchitis most of the season. “He didn’t shoot well. Fortunately, I’ve taught him to have no conscience. I want him to shoot. I don’t care if a guy is draped all over him.”

Heitzler added 15 points for the Titans, 12 in the fourth quarter.

Leuzinger received a stellar game from 6-5 forward Adrian McCovey, who led all scorers with 33 points, including 12 in the final quarter. Forward Tyrone Merriweather added 12 and Felix had 10.

In the end, though, it was Rolling Hills’ day.

“Down by 13 points on a warm day in a hostile gym,” said Warren, shaking his head at the thought of his team’s comeback. “My God, that is something, isn’t it?”