Argonauts top Lightning in opener, 44-35

Bryce Alderton

One thing Steve Keith will have to get more of as the season

progresses is balanced scoring from his Sage Hill High basketball

team.

That’s what the first-year Lightning coach said following his

team’s 44-35 nonleague season-opening loss to visiting Garden Grove

Tuesday night at Sage Hill.

Senior Michael Fitzhugh (6-foot-3) scored 22 points to account for

62% of Lightning scoring and was the only Sage Hill player to score

in double figures. Kevin Joyce and Matt Loper each contributed five

points as Sage Hill’s second most productive scorers.

“We know (Fitzhugh) is our horse and we try to ride him, but we

needed people to step up and support him,” Keith said.

Garden Grove got support in the form of Joe Monsoor and David

Richmond, who scored 14 and 16 points, respectively. Richmond hit a

22-foot three-pointer with 2:01 remaining to give the Argonauts a

40-35 lead after Monsoor blocked a Sage Hill layup attempt on the

previous possession.

Sage Hill’s only lead was at 25-24 with 2:19 left in the third

period. Fitzhugh dribbled within five feet of the basket to knock

down the shot to give the Lightning the lead.

“A couple of our guys are good shooters too,” Keith said. “We

can’t be a one-man show in order to be effective.”

NONLEAGUE

Garden Grove 44, Sage Hill 35

Score by Quarters

Garden Grove 10 9 11

14 -- 44

Sage Hill 7 8 12

8 -- 35

Garden Grove -- Singer 6, Richmond 16, Pierce 3, Luu 0,

Monsoor 14, Green 4, Grimes 1, Tirla 0.

3-pt. goals -- Richmond 1.

Fouled out -- none.

Technicals -- Franks (coach) 1.

Sage Hill -- Fitzhugh 22, Joyce 5, Williams 2, Loper 5,

Cho 1.

3-pt. goals -- Joyce 1, Loper 1.

Fouled out -- none.

Technicals -- none.