Super ‘70s claim title

Bryce Alderton

With sweat dripping off their faces after playing their fifth game

of the day, Corona del Mar High’s alumni team from the 1970s took a

moment to think about what they had done.

What they had done was beat the ‘91-92 combined team, 47-35, in

the finals to win their first championship of the 14th Annual Jack Errion Memorial Corona del Mar Alumni Basketball Tournament, denying

the ‘91-92 team a repeat tournament title at Corona del Mar High

Saturday.

“We play so well together,” said Mike Flamson (‘78) who led all

70s scorers with 16 points followed by Casey Jones, who had 15.

“These guys are a good bunch of guys. There’s not one standout.”

After the win, fellow 70s teammate Steve Erlinger (‘78) took a

moment to stretch his legs, sitting on the gymnasium floor.

“We’ve made our statement, maybe we should announce our

retirement,” Erlinger said jokingly. “Now we have self-esteem and

bragging rights for a year.”

Mike Murphy (‘75), Cory Alder (‘77) and Court Shannon (‘78) also

contributed to the win, ending a day most look forward to every year.

“It’s absolutely a good time playing with those guys and seeing

all those faces,” said ‘91-92’s Nick Mansour, who scored 10 points,

six coming on two 3-point shots.

After the game Mansour sat in a folding chair, holding his right

toe he said was in pain.

The day began at 8 a.m. with 18 teams and ended when the whistle

blew in the championship game shortly after 5 p.m.

“Five games since 8 a.m., that’s pretty good,” said Mike Susson

from ‘91-92 resting before the title game.

Team 70s beat ‘96, 41-35, to reach the finals while ‘91-92

defeated 2000, 35-33, in the other semifinal.

The arduous, grueling day of basketball took its toll on some

players, as one player from the 2000 team sat on the bench, holding a

pack of ice to his head throughout the team’s semifinal game..

“(The tournament) is always a fun time, it just gets a little

harder,” quipped Craig Callahan from 91-92 after his team’s defeat.

Team 70s led, 24-23, at halftime before putting on the

afterburners, outscoring ‘91-92, 23-12, in the second half with eight

of those points coming on Flamson free throws.

Free-throw shooting was off for both teams Saturday as only

91-92’s Theo Rokos made a foul shot besides Flamson.

The hot hand of Casey Jones catapulted the 70s to a fast start.

Jones scored 10 first-half points as he seemingly hit from wherever

he was on the floor.

Jones also did a little coaching during a first-half timeout,

telling the team, “We have to move more on the weak side.”

For much of the game, team 70s moved the ball around the

perimeter, waiting for the chance to throw a bounce pass into the

Flamson posting up.

With the score, 31-25, early in the second half, Flamson got the

ball in the key and missed a short put back, but the ball squirted

out to Jones near the free throw line and he made the bucket.

After a miss, Murphy hit a three-pointer to put 70s back up by 11,

36-25, and they never looked back after that.

Team 91-92 cut the lead to eight with just over two minutes

remaining on a putback by John Upham off a missed 3-pointer, but with

only two minutes remaining, ‘91-92 began fouling to stop the clock

each time team 70s got the ball.

Randy Gwin led the ‘91-92 team with 15 points, cutting to the

basket twice to convert two layups, while Mansour added 10. Upham had

six, Callahan, five and Rokos, two points in the final.

Erlinger finished with six points, all coming on three-pointers,

and Alder also knocked down a three for 70s.