Falconer Will Stay as Coach

Craig Falconer has decided to remain as boys’ basketball coach at Calvary Chapel after receiving concessions from school officials that will allow him to return part time to private business.

Falconer said he will teach a few economics classes next year and will give up his role as an assistant baseball coach. That will allow him to sell industrial fire sprinkler installations, a job he held for 14 years before coming to Calvary Chapel. He had said that it had become increasingly difficult to make a living as a teacher.

Falconer is 84-32 in four seasons and led the Eagles to a 27-6 record and appearances in the Southern Section Division IV-A and Southern California regional finals, losing both times to eventual division and state champion Santa Monica Crossroads.

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Kevin Falconer, Calvary Chapel point guard and son of Eagle Coach Craig Falconer, has signed with Westmont College, his father said Monday.

Falconer, a Times Orange County first-team selection, averaged 14.4 points and 9.1 assists.

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North all-star Coach Gene Lloyd of Brea Olinda didn’t want to make any excuses, but he did have some insight as to why his team lost a 10-point lead and the game to the South, 103-92, in the 32nd Costa Mesa Kiwanis Orange County boys’ all-star basketball game at Orange Coast College Saturday.

“This is the first time I have had all of them together on the floor at the same time,” he said after the game.

Five all-stars play spring sports for their schools, Mater Dei’s David Castleton withdrew after shoulder surgery, and several other players visited colleges during the two weeks leading up to the game, Lloyd said. The Kiwanis required that each player participate in at least five practices to be eligible. That was tough, Lloyd said.

“Some of those practices were five minutes long just to meet the rules,” he said.

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The Laguna Hills-Brea Olinda girls’ basketball rivalry continued during Saturday’s all-star game.

Brea Olinda’s Rochelle Anthony (15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals) had the game’s MVP award locked up after sparking her team to an eight-point lead after trailing by 11 in the first half.

Then Laguna Hills’ Tamara Inoue took it away, burying the only three-point shot of the night for the South with 20 second remaining to tie the score, 64-64. The South won, 65-64.

Inoue had 13 points, four assists, one steal and impeccable timing.

Anthony took it in stride.

“I played well enough to prove to people that I can play,” said Anthony, who said she has been academically accepted by Arizona State, where she might walk-on. “Winning would have been great, but this was a nice way to go out.”

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Kevin Augustine, Mater Dei point guard, was named Division I player of the year and Monarch Coach Gary McKnight shared coach of the year honors with Long Beach Poly’s Ron Palmer, the Southern Section announced Monday. In Division II, Woodbridge center Chris Burgess was named player of the year and Warrior Coach John Halagan was co-coach of the year with Compton Dominguez’s Russ Otis.

In girls’ Division II, Ocean View’s Jennifer Tuiolesega was named player of the year and Laguna Hills’ Lynn Taylor and Brea Olinda’s Jeff Sink shared coach of the year honors.

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This week’s baseball schedule features key games in the Empire League, where top-ranked El Dorado (6-1) and Cypress (5-2) play twice. In the Garden Grove League, defending champion La Quinta (4-1) will tie upstart Pacifica (5-1) with a victory over Bolsa Grande Wednesday. The Aztecs and Mariners play at Pacifica Friday.

These two-game showdowns are crucial: Tustin (5-2) trails Servite by two games in the Golden West League and Irvine (5-2) trails Santa Margarita by two in the Sea View League.

Also contributing to this report were Times staff writers Martin Henderson and Mike Terry.