FULLERTON – Troy put forth just enough of a spurt in the final minutes to come away with a 45-40 victory over San Clemente in a nonleague boys basketball contest Friday at Troy High.
In a game that featured seven lead changes and plenty of missed shots by both teams, Josh Yoo’s free throw with 3:56 remaining gave the Warriors (12-4) the lead for good at 41-40.
The Tritons (10-7), who defeated rival Dana Hills 60-42 on Thursday, were held to just four points in the fourth quarter by the Warriors and didn’t score during the final five minutes.
Troy’s Alec Sinek finished with a game-high 18 points and hit four 3-pointers.
Jacob Nemeth scored nine to lead the Tritons.
The Troy-San Clemente matchup has become a bit of rivalry in recent seasons, with each team winning close games on their home court.
“We always battle,” Troy coach Scott Blake said. “We were up by four with 20 seconds to go at their place last year and they hit a runner and one to beat us.”
The score stayed 41-40 on Friday until Isiah Holm scored off a great pass from Sinek to give the Warriors a three-point lead with one minute remaining.
With 32 seconds left, Jared Reyes made an acrobatic shot as he was falling backwards to put Troy up by five.
Holm and Trevor Seesemann pulled down key defensive rebounds on the Tritons’ final two possessions.
Both teams open play in their respective leagues next week.
Troy opens Freeway League at home against Buena Park on Tuesday and the Tritons plays host to Tesoro in their South Coast League opener on Wednesday.