The
”
frustration level
”
was running high for Gavilan as it entered the third-place game
Sunday in the Wine Country Classic.
The “frustration level” was running high for Gavilan as it entered the third-place game Sunday in the Wine Country Classic.
The Rams had just dropped a two-point decision to Consumnes River College in the semifinals, meaning three of their five losses were by a total of five points.
Gavilan left nothing to chance against host Napa Valley College in the third-place game, using deadly free-throw shooting to rout the Storm 77-50.
“We made our free throws and took better care of the basketball,” Rams’ coach Tito Addison said. “We’re still turning the ball over too often, but at least against Napa there were errors of commission rather than omission. We were being a lot more aggressive, so we were in position to defend (when we did turn the ball over).”
With Jessie LoBue scoring 11 points, Gavilan (3-5) raced to a 38-23 halftime lead. The Rams couldn’t feel comfortable, though, since Napa Valley had erased a 17-point deficit in winning its first-round game. But with Luke Murrell and Ryan Blake each shooting 4-for-4 from the foul line down the stretch, Gavilan was able to extend its lead and win by its widest margin this season.
LoBue led the Rams with 18 points. Eric Van Vliet had 16 points and Daniel Wynn, who was named to the all-tournament team, added 13. Gavilan shot 25-for-29 at the free-throw line.
In the semifinals, Chris Wilson hit the winning basket with 11 seconds left as Consumnes River defeated the Rams. Gavilan led by two points, 29-27, at halftime but again was done in by turnovers.
LoBue had 15 points and Van Vliet added 12, but it was the defense of Nick McLaurin on Wilson, normally CRC’s leading scorer, that helped keep the game close. Wilson had just four points. Martin Keitt led the victors with 15 points.
Modesto College won the tournament, defeating Consumnes River 88-61 in the final.
“I was pleased overall at the end,” Addison said. “With the middle game, our frustration level was pretty high. With 26 turnovers, we were still able to lose by only two points.
“We needed to come out in the last game strong and did that. Napa is a pretty good team. To win two of three, I’m fairly pleased even though we felt we could have won the tournament.”
The tournament schedule continues for Gavilan, which is in the four-day, eight-team Monterey Peninsula College event Wednesday through Saturday. The Rams open at 1pm Wednesday against Chabot College.
