That’s the way the cookie crumbles

Mike Sciacca

For those in attendance at Friday’s Esperanza-Huntington Beach boys’

basketball game at Huntington Beach High, the announcement coming

from the public address system came as a surprise.

Brent Weber, who serves as game announcer for both Oilers boys’

and girls’ home basketball games, told those in attendance to hold

onto their ticket stub.

That’s because if an Oiler player had hit a three-point shot in

the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, those with a paid game

ticket stub could redeem it for a free, large chocolate chip cookie

at Lucci’s Deli, a Surf City establishment since 1946.

The promotion was limited to one three-point basket, and the

cookie could have been obtained on Monday or Tuesday.

“Lucci’s approached us with the idea,” said Roy Miller, Huntington

Beach athletic director and former boys’ varsity head coach and

player. “They thought it was a better way to advertise, and anything

to bring attention to and drum up interest in our basketball program,

I thought, was a good idea.”

Unfortunately, the Oilers attempted just two three-point shots in

the final two minutes of an eventual 70-41 loss to Esperanza in

Sunset League play. Both missed the mark.

At the 1:47 mark, Greg Bartolme missed a three-point attempt from

the baseline. With 1:04 remaining in regulation, Rory Jones’ shot

from the arc didn’t fall.

So there were no just desserts for anybody.

But fear not, Oiler fans -- the offer still stands for

Huntington’s three remaining home basketball games against Los

Alamitos (Jan. 31), Edison (Feb. 4) and Fountain Valley (Feb. 8).