SALINAS
–– The San Benito boys basketball team defeated North Salinas on
Friday for the second time this season. And for the second time it
wasn’t easy.
The 68-63 win keeps the Haybalers in first place with an 18-6
overall record and 7-1 league record with two games left this
week.
SALINAS –– The San Benito boys basketball team defeated North Salinas on Friday for the second time this season. And for the second time it wasn’t easy.
The 68-63 win keeps the Haybalers in first place with an 18-6 overall record and 7-1 league record with two games left this week.
“It was their senior night, but we brought our own level of intensity,” said Baler coach David Kaplansky. “They had to play from behind after the first quarter. We were prepared for their 1-2-2 zone. We opened the game and shot well from the perimeter, which forced them to go to a man (defense).”
The 26-point first quarter – the best of the year for the Balers – set the pace in the game. The Balers hit four three pointers in the first half. Eric Davis had two. Mike Moisa and Kyle Sharp had one.
“It was nice to see that guys came out ready to play,” Kaplansky said.
Sharp led the Haybalers with 25 points, and his North Salinas counterpart Eric Petty had 28. Both players were on fire in the first half – Sharp had 19 points and Petty had 21.
Center Anthony Butler, who scored 19 points, was called for his third foul four minutes into the game and didn’t come back in until there were 16 seconds left in the half for an inbounds play.
Jason Sims did a good job filling in for Butler, and Kevin Zanella had a strong first half for the Balers with six points. Darryl Baladad came up big numerous times on the boards.
“We definitely missed Butler out there in guarding Petty,” Kaplansky said. “We were shooting the ball well from the perimeter. With Anthony on the bench, Kyle was getting a lot more shots off.”
Guard Eric Davis handled the pressure put on by Viking speedster Ronnie Drummer and had 11 points.
The Balers finish up their league schedule against visiting Salinas on Wednesday and at Palma on Saturday.
A win will guarantee San Benito at least a share of the league title.
But two losses could drop the Balers into second place.
The games won’t be easy either. Salinas (3-5 TCAL) is coming off a 62-49 loss to Live Oak and needs to win its last two games to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time in 12 years.
And on the other hand, there is Palma. The Chieftains, who are in last place, gave the Balers a good run last time and should do the same Friday with nothing to lose.
“It should be a couple great TCAL games like they all have been,” Kaplansky said. “The guys have done a great job of executing what we have asked of them. They have been playing hard on defense, and good things have been happening. I knew they had the ability to play at a high level – it was just a matter of how mature and how hard they wanted to work.”
San Benito 26 12 11 19––68
North Salinas 15 16 14 18––63
San Benito: Davis 4 0-0 11, Sharp 10 4-10 25, Zanella 3 2-3 8, Butler 9 1-2 19, Baladad 1 0-2 2, Moisa 1 0-0 3. Totals 28 7-17 68.
North Salinas: Woo 4 1-1 10, Drummer 2 6-6 10, Johnson 3 0-1 6, Ramos 1 7-8 9, Petty 11 6-9 28. Totals 21 20-25 63.
3-point goals: San Benito-Davis 3, Sharp, Moisa. North Salinas-Woo.
