ANAHEIM — Shortly after La Habra defeated Canyon, 57-54, in a Crestview League basketball game Friday at Canyon High School, Comanches coach Nate Harrison paid the ultimate compliment to Highlanders senior Acen Jimenez, who scored a game-high 36 points.
“He’s the best player in Orange County,” Harrison said.
Jimenez got the Highlanders (18-6, 3-1), who are ranked No. 6 in Orange County, going right out of gate with 11 points in the first quarter, including three 3-pointers.
The Dartmouth signee scored 11 in a tightly contested fourth quarter, going 5 of 7 from the free throw line. He made four in row from the line in the final seconds, enabling the Highlanders to hang on for the victory.
“The guy works constantly and deserves to be involved every possession,” La Habra coach Aaron Rieckenberg said, “and you see what the result is when he does.”
The contest completes the first round of league play. La Habra and No. 2 Crean Lutheran (16-6, 3-1) are in a first-place tie.
No. 9 Canyon (14-8, 2-2) and No. 8 Cypress (16-8, 2-2) are tied for second.
The Highlanders defeated the No. 2 Saints, 69-56, last week a game where Jimenez scored 40 points.
Both the Highlanders and Comanches settled into their half-court offenses on most possessions, having to work for every shot.
“Which is unique to both of us, because both of us do like to get up and down,” Rieckenberg said. “But I think we have so much respect for each other that we kind of wanted to make sure each possession went really well.”
La Habra led by nine going into the fourth quarter. The Comanches went on a 9-1 run to pull within one point.
A basket by Jimenez put the Highlanders ahead 52-47 with just under three minutes remaining.
With 13.2 seconds remaining, the Comanches trailed by two with possession when freshman guard Aaron Wilson came up huge steal for the Highlanders.
Wilson batted the ball over to Richard Gonzalez, who then passed to Jimenez who got fouled and hit both free throws. The senior hit two more free throws with five seconds left to seal the victory.
“It was a risky one,” Wilson said of his steal. “I just had to go get it. And thankfully I did because we won the game after that.”
Josh Desatoff scored 16 for the Highlanders.
Pierce Haugen led the Comanches with 14 points.
La Habra was playing its second game in as many days after defeating longtime rival Sonora, 61-54, in a nonleague game Thursday.
