San Benito builds a double-digit lead in the first half, but its
turnovers and fouls prove costly in a 44-41 loss to Notre Dame
Hollister – The San Benito girls basketball team looked as if it was well on its way to sending its four seniors out in style.
After jumping on visiting Notre Dame early and building a 23-12 lead by halftime, the Haybalers looked primed to waltz to a Senior Night romp.
Think again.
In what has become a disturbing late-season pattern, San Benito fell apart in the second half behind the deadly combination of turnovers and fouls to eventually suffer a 44-41 loss.
“We coulda won, we shoulda won, but we didn’t,” said ‘Balers guard Vanessa Farias. “Since we were ahead, we got ahead of ourselves.”
After racing to leads against TCAL champion Gilroy and Salinas in recent games, San Benito fell victim to fourth-quarter swoons that cost the team wins both times. In taking a 13-5 lead by the end of the first quarter in last night’s contest, the Haybalers hoped to finally conquer their late-game demons.
But nine fouls and nine turnovers by the Haybalers in the third quarter allowed the Spirits to close within 30-25 entering the final period, and then another 13 turnovers in the fourth quarter proved too much for the hosts to overcome.
“Turnovers killed us. That’s the bottom line,” said ‘Balers head coach Al Rowe. “We’re driving when we’re not supposed to … [and] we’re forcing passes when we shouldn’t.”
Said San Benito senior Ashley Patton: “We were trying to push the ball up and we were not looking at who we were passing to.”
Notre Dame finally caught the Haybalers when Lauren Shutzler secured an offensive rebound and converted a put-back to tie the game at 33 with just under five minutes remaining.
The teams traded turnovers and inbound’ violations as neither squad could manage to wrest the game away, despite ample opportunities.
“We’re both young teams and we make a lot of mistakes,” said Notre Dame head coach John Given. “We gave each other all the opportunities in the world to win the game.”
San Benito re-took the lead at 37-35 when Farias sank both of her free throws at the 1:43 mark, and then a jumper by the freshman and two more free throws gave San Benito a 41-36 advantage with 48 seconds remaining.
But the ‘Balers’ earlier fouls came back to haunt the team as the Spirits sank 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch.
San Benito had two chances within the waning seconds to either take the lead or tie the game, but three-pointers by Jordan Lee and Ashley Patton bounced off the front rim, denying the ‘Balers the chance at a win to close out the regular season.
“We’re having a hard time finishing,” said Rowe. “We need to learn to finish. It was a close game. Whoever makes mistakes ….”
Farias led San Benito with 16 points and three assists, connecting on three three-pointers, while Patton contributed six rebounds, four steals and three blocks, to go with her three points. Senior Ari Romero and sophomore Elena Fata both scored six points.
Notre Dame’s Lyncee Mendalla scored a game-high 18 points and hit all six of her free throws in the fourth quarter to spur her team’s comeback. Mendalla finished 10-of-11 from the line on the night.
San Benito now turns its attention to preparing for the upcoming Central Coast Section playoffs. The Haybalers had hoped to win their final two games and push for a seed in the middle of the pack, but Rowe believed his team could hope for a No. 9 seed at best when the CCS committee convenes on Sunday.
The implications of their likely lower seed were obvious to the ‘Balers.
“We’ll be going against the powerhouses,” said Rowe. “It’s a lot tougher than where we hoped we’d be.”
Said Patton: “It’s going to be tough–we know that. I really hope we’ll have a full game of hard basketball and just dominate like we do in the first quarter.”
