No Time Like Overtime for Valley’s Lang to Shine

They didn’t select Felix Lang of Valley College the men’s player of the year in the Western State Conference Southern Division for nothing.

Lang, a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard, scored 11 of his team-high 26 points in overtime and the Monarchs defeated Oxnard, 99-92, in a second-round game of the Southern California Regional on Wednesday night at Valley.

Valley (25-8), seeded No. 6, meets No. 3 Santa Ana (28-5) on Saturday at Santa Ana. The winner of that game advances to the state championships March 9-11 at the University of Pacific.

After leading, 41-28, at halftime and 71-63 with 4:21 to play, Valley’s Michael Crawford had to make two free throws with one second left in regulation to tie the score, 80-80.

“We made it difficult,” Valley Coach Doug Michelson said. “We got stuck in some [bad] matchups.”

Oxnard (22-9), playing without 6-8 center Chris Massie, the WSC’s player of the year in the Northern Division, was hard-pressed to match up in size with the Monarchs.

Massie returned home to Houston on a family matter. He was expected back to face Valley but called Coach Ron McClurkin earlier in the day to say he wouldn’t make it.

Forward Tellys Knight carried the load for the Condors, scoring a game-high 34 points.

But it was Lang who stole the thunder, catching a hot hand in overtime after scoring 15 points in regulation.

He scored in overtime on a 15-foot basket, a three-point shot from the right wing, a dribble-drive layup and four free throws.

“I just had to step it up,” Lang said. “My team needed me.”

Crawford and forward Isaac Williamson each scored 16 points for the Monarchs, who have won five in a row. Center Wayne Huff finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Oxnard’s Omar McCarter finished with 20 points and Edward Cooke had 15 points.