Another Tri-County Athletic League game. Another heartbreaking
loss. Worse yet, both were at home.
Another Tri-County Athletic League game. Another heartbreaking loss. Worse yet, both were at home.
The Hollister High girls basketball team, feeling a sense of urgency, rallied valiantly in the fourth period against a veteran North Salinas team Wednesday, taking a two-point lead with 2:43 left to play. But the poised Vikes poured in the final three hoops of the night to win 47-43.
Counting a two-point defeat to Gilroy last Saturday, the Balers have lost the last two league games by a total of six points.
“We did our best,” said Baler guard Gina Caianiello, who helped lead the comeback. “We had some mental mistakes tonight.”
Down as much as 13 points in the second quarter at 20-7, the Balers (14-5, 1-2) ran off the next nine points.
Caianiello hit the hoop of the night during that run when she found herself trapped underneath the bucket with the ball and nowhere to go. Her only option was to throw up a haphazard layin high off the backboard, and the ball went up and straight through. Trisha Lee then dished nicely to Naomi Ruiz for a hoop and the Balers were down four.
But the Vikings (11-7, 2-1), who can throw out eight or nine players who can score, had a trifecta from Amanda Lemos to halt the Balers’ run. The Vikings then got a huge three-point basket from Alixis Villarin right as the halftime buzzer sounded to forge ahead by nine at the intermission.
Zone-oriented Baler head coach Richard Silva decided to roll the dice and came out in a rare man-to-man defense to start the third period. It seemed to get the Balers in a better flow, but neither team lit it up and the Vikes actually extended their lead by a digit to begin the fourth quarter.
Hollister stuck with the man defense and the Vikes suddenly couldn’t buy one. Caianiello hit a three, then Sarah Groman hit a follow shot and the Balers were down five. Erika Rodriguez had a shot blocked and the ball went directly to Groman, who put the ball in the basket and the Balers were threatening down just 41-40 at the four-minute mark.
Caianiello had a great look on a three-pointer, but the shot rimmed out. Moments later, Lee stole the ball at midcourt, drove to the basket and scored on a layin despite being fouled by Villarin. Lee made the free throw, the seventh out of seven tries for the Balers, whose mini-comeback had given them a 43-41 lead. Little did the Balers know that Lee’s free throw would be the last point they would notch.
The Vikes, who were scoreless for the period, finally got an inside hoop from Jennifer Patterson with 2:13 remaining to tie the score. After the Balers turned it over, a mad scramble for the ball ensued on the Vikings’ end of the floor. The ball squirted out to Ashley Pemberton who let loose with a15-footer. The ball went down and the Vikes were up two. Timeout Hollister at the 1:34 mark.
The Balers quickly worked the ball into Groman, who shot in traffic. It appeared she might have been clunked, but no whistle. The non-call was consistent with an officiating crew who did a good job of letting the girls play.
Hollister still had another chance to tie the score after the Vikings turned the ball over with 53 seconds to play. But, Vikings center Monica Abbott extended out from her defensive position and stole a pass near the top of the key.
The Balers didn’t foul, opting to play the odds with a six second differential between the game clock and the shot clock. The Vikings shot with 10 seconds to go and missed, but Jessica Stacy’s six-foot follow put the game in the books and a dagger in the Balers’ heart.
“We turned the ball over, but our defense came through in the second half,” said Vikes head coach Darren Jackson. “We’d prefer to play against a zone because we have some good outside shooters. Hollister’s good, but they’re young.”
Despite three seniors in the starting lineup, Silva agreed.
“Our youth was a factor,” said Silva. “We’ve lost two close games at home. That’s what I’m worried about.”
Hollister is at Salinas (15-2, 2-1) on Friday, no small task.
Baler bits: There were few whistles, fortunately. Abbott was the only Viking to go to the line and was 1-of-4. – Caianiello had a game-high 14 points and five assists, while Lee had 12 for the Balers. Patterson, using a skillful drop-step in the post, led the Vikings with 10 points. –Â Patterson, normally a starter, did not start for undisclosed reasons and entered the game with 3:17 to play in the first. That said, the Vikings bench outscored the Baler bench 17-2. – The Lady Balers were just 17-of-49 from the field, 35 per cent. –Â Ruiz had 11 rebounds to lead the Balers, with Groman having six boards. – Groman was credited officially with two blocks, but had to have at least four rejections. – Refereeing the frosh and junior varsity games were two fathers of Salinas varsity boys hoopers, one the father of Cowboys star Drew Sanchez.
JV score: Hollister 49, North Salinas 25. The Balers (18-2) had 13 points from Jen Crepeau and 12 from Jaime Hall. Hollister’s Cortney Almaguer had the shot of the game when she tried to shoot from her knees towards the end of the third period. The ball nearly went in.
Frosh score: Balers 37, Vikes 17. Amanda Boyd had 10 points for the Balers (11-4) with Christine Goytia donating six.
N. Salinas 11 19 11 6 – 47
Hollister 7 14 10 12 – 43
NS – Abbott 4 1-4 9, Patterson 5 0-0 10, Lemos 4 0-0 9, Stacy 2 0-0 4, Gervacio 2 0-0 5, Corsaro 1 0–0 3, Pemberton 2 0-0 4. Totals 21 1-4 47.
H – Caianiello 5 2-2 14, Groman 3 3-3 9, Ruiz 3 0-0 6, Lee 5 2-2 12, Tremblay 1 0-0 2. Totals 17 7-7 43.
3-point goals: Lemos, Villarin, Gervacio, Corsaro (NS); Caianiello 2 (H).
