Lady Balers welcome Vikings to Mattson Gym Thursday night at 7
p.m.; matchup of two TCAL powers will go a long way in deciding
this year’s league champion
HOLLISTER
The Tri-County Athletic League championship could all but be decided on Thursday night in Hollister between San Benito and North Salinas.
And, really, this should come as no surprise.
The two rival schools have become inseparable in recent years, even sharing the TCAL title last year after posting matching 11-1 records.
Two years ago, the Lady Balers claimed the league championship outright when they went 11-1. But the team’s lone league loss that year was to North Salinas, and the Vikings themselves finished runner-up to San Benito with a 9-3 record.
With the Lady Balers currently at 6-1, the Vikings at 7-0, a win for either team on Thursday will once again go a long way in determining this year’s TCAL champ.
“North Salinas is a really good team this year,” San Benito head coach David Kaplansky said. “They’ve been battle tested and they’ll be a lot better the second time around.”
That may not come as good news for the Lady Balers, who lost to the Vikings 42-28 in Salinas on Jan. 11. But the disappointing road loss was only the second defeat San Benito has suffered this season, and they have yet to lose since, rifling off five straight victories in the process.
“We just couldn’t buy a basket over there,” Kaplansky said of the Jan. 11 loss. “As a coach, I don’t feel like we’ll change much offensively or defensively.
“I’m hoping our players will shoot the ball better and continue to play good defense like we did the first time around.”
Kaplansky was pleased with his team’s defensive effort following the previous meeting. The third-year coach said it’s San Benito’s goal to keep opposing teams to an average of 10 points per quarter, and North Salinas’ 42 points on Jan. 11 was just about on pace for what the Lady Balers were seeking.
They even held two of North High’s leading scorers in Jasmin Rowland and Alyssa Ayala to a combined 12 points.
However, the 28 points generated on offense was the lowest point total of the season for the Lady Balers, and the offense will be the key heading into Thursday night’s contest.
“I’m hoping we’ll be running our offense and setting a better tone from the beginning,” Kaplansky said.
“That’s what we’ve really been focusing on with the games we’ve been playing. I feel like we’ve been doing a good job with our spacing and the kids are starting to get more in-depth with our offense.”
Since the early-January loss, San Benito hasn’t scored less than 46 points in a game, and is averaging nearly 55 points in its last five contests.
“And the girls have found a way to play well at home,” Kaplansky added. “We’re gonna try to come out and play a great game.”
Each team boasts matching 17-2 records at the moment, although North Salinas’ game against Everett Alvarez on Tuesday night took place after the Free Lance’s press time. The two teams will tip-off at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
“I think it’ll be different because we’ve already rubbed up against each other and competed,” Kaplansky said. “It’s gonna be different the second time around.”
