On the surface, it was a play that was perhaps overlooked at the time.
It came in the middle of the third quarter, where just minutes earlier, a double technical was served to both teams and a North Salinas player was ejected from the game.
There was, to say the least, no love lost between San Benito and North Salinas Friday night at Mattson Gym.
But the play in question, which perhaps stands in the shadows of the double technical that came before it, could scream volumes toward San Benito’s chances at a league crown.
Midway through the third, after San Benito forced a turnover – just one of 25 committed by the Vikings – Bri Romero broke straight for the hoop on an outlet pass.
She went up for the layup, which would have given the Lady ‘Balers an eight-point lead, but was fouled hard from behind.
As Romero fell to the floor beneath the basket, the Viking in question was called for an intentional foul, and subsequently gave a piercing stare to any and all players on San Benito who made eye contact.
Romero, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear, and was helped up off the court by her four other San Benito teammates.
The fact that she was smiling really has nothing to do with my point, although I enjoyed the happy ending to the hard foul.
The fact that Romero was greeted with eight other helping hands, though, all of which belonged to her teammates, is something the Lady ‘Balers will need to embrace now more than ever.
“We just played harder. We didn’t back down when they were pushing and shoving,” coach David Kaplansky said. “Every girl that came in either got a huge basket or a huge rebound.”
This isn’t a one- or two-person team. In fact, it can’t be a one- or two-person team.
The San Benito Lady ‘Balers fought tooth and nail to earn their 6-0 mark in the Tri-County Athletic League, and it was a team effort that got them to their first-place standing.
As they begin the second half of their league schedule tonight at Salinas – just six hurdles left in the mad dash – they’ll need to pick each other up off the floor when need be.
After the 54-36 win over North Salinas on Friday, after the 52-42 road win at Alisal, and after the 35-33 nail-biter at Notre Dame, San Benito, if they didn’t already, officially has a target on its back.
They’re currently atop the TCAL, they’ve beaten everyone to date, and they hold a sweet two-game lead over North Salinas (4-2) and Notre Dame (4-2).
Chances are, they’ll need all those helping hands as the second half progresses.
“It gives us confidence, for sure,” said Elena Fata of the win Friday. “We can beat anyone as long as we play team ball.”
The next time the Lady ‘Balers get knocked down, in one way or another, they’ll need a team effort to get back up again. They’ll need a team effort to take the TCAL crown.
Hopefully, by the end of the season, they’re grinning from ear to ear.
