Gavilan’s upset of CCSF has been followed by disappointing
losses
Gilroy – Gavilan College begins Coast Conference play tonight at San Jose City College with more questions than answers.
The Jaguars (6-11) won their last game of 2006, defeating Santa Rosa 65-55 at the SJCC Holiday Tournament, led by Michael Dyson’s 18 points. That snapped a seven-game losing streak for San Jose City, which has been led offensively this season by Dave Smith and Will Mace.
Rams’ coach Tito Addison is a little befuddled by Gavilan’s situation. After all, the Rams celebrated coming home after 11 of their first 12 games on the road with a stunning upset of City College of San Francisco. And then they came out flat in the first half of games against Foothill and Las Positas.
Thus, it brings into mind the question of whether the Rams can sustain an effort for two halves against an opponent other than CCSF. When teams collapse around Eric Van Vliet in the middle, will others step up? Will the point guards take better care of the basketball to cut down on the exorbitant number of turnovers? Will Daniel Wynn be able to overcome personal problems and return to give the team an added weapon?
“Everyone’s trying to figure out how we beat San Francisco,” Addison said. “We’re getting the best game from everyone.”
Addison felt Gavilan (4-11) had an “emotional letdown” in the first half of the game against Foothill, a 64-58 loss. The Rams had just 18 points in the first half and trailed by 14.
“It might have been the worst first half we played,” Addison said. “We expended a lot of energy trying to catch them in the second half and got as close as three.”
Jessie LoBue, who has been the most consistent Ram this season, had 23 points and 11 rebounds. Van Vliet had 10 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots.
“They did a great job on Eric, collapsing two, three defenders around him,” Addison. “He was their main focus. But nobody else (other than LoBue) stepped up.”
Gavilan was better against Las Positas (12-5), but still struggled in the second half when it turned the ball over 15 times and fell behind 34-23. The Rams played the Hawks even in the second half, but dropped a 75-63 decision that was eerily close to the 74-63 loss Gavilan suffered to Las Positas in the first round of the Chabot Classic.
Matt Perry (23 points) and Troy Lambert (21) were a two-man wrecking crew for the Hawks, who open Coast Conference North play tonight against Foothill in Los Altos. Lambert had 14 of his points in the second half to keep the Rams at bay.
“Those two guys did a great job of stepping up and making big shots for them,” Addison said. “It was a very weird game for us. I never felt we were in the game and yet we were never out of it. We got as close as seven in the second half, but it seemed we were down 35. It was frustrating because we didn’t give ourselves a chance to win.”
Nick McLaurin and Django Evans had 13 points apiece, and Kenny Hills had 10 points for Gavilan. Van Vliet had 10 rebounds. Evans and Hill combined for 21 in the second half as the Rams scored 40 after halftime for the second straight game after a slow start.
“We need a better start and to be more consistent,” Addison said as he looked to the start of the ‘second season’ tonight against the Jaguars. “We’re putting out the effort but turnovers are nullifying the effort.”
