Pacific Collegiate outscores Anzar 12-2 in first quarter, holds
on for 43-41 win in CAL play
SAN JUAN BAUTISTA
In hindsight, it was the first quarter that sunk the Anzar High girls basketball team.
Held to just two points total in the first quarter, while visiting Pacific Collegiate deposited 12, the Hawks were able to outscore their opponent by a 39-31 margin for the remainder of the game. But the 10-point differential in the opening stanza was too much to overcome, although Anzar nearly did just that.
In a battle for first place atop the Coastal Athletic League, Pacific Collegiate triumphed in a 43-41 victory in San Juan Bautista on Friday night. For the time being, the Pumas have sole control of first as Anzar suffers its first league loss.
“I haven’t been more proud of my girls,” Anzar head coach Aaron Netzel said. “They had a decision to make, keep letting this whole thing continue or turn it around, and they did.
“What more could I ask for, given the circumstances.”
Netzel, for the first time in his 12 years of coaching, was slapped with two technicals within the first five minutes of regulation Friday and was ejected from the contest. The second-year coach at Anzar, who said he’s had only three technicals against him in his coaching career prior to this, watched the entire game play out from outside.
“I didn’t curse. I didn’t yell. I didn’t stand up. I didn’t go on the court,” Netzel said. “The fouls seemed to be ticky-tack and called in the other team’s favor. I apparently got under their skin.”
Mike Bonomi, who recently took over the junior varsity duties, filled in for Netzel on the bench and confirmed the lopsided officiating.
“They were getting all the calls,” Bonomi said. “They were getting ticky-tack fouls called, while our girls were getting hammered. It was obvious.”
With the first quarter out of the way, PCS outscored Anzar in the second quarter as well and took a 24-12 lead to the break.
“Aaron (Netzel) gave a great halftime talk,” Bonomi said. “They stepped up the intensity (in the second half), the focus.
“They were getting good shots in the first half, but it seemed like there was a lid on the basket … In the second half, they were going in.”
Sparked by a pair of treys from Liliana Resendez, who led the Hawks with 11 points, Anzar closed the gap significantly in the third period when they outscored the Pumas 18-7 and went to the fourth down 31-30.
The Hawks continued to up the intensity in the fourth, and eventually tied the contest at 40-all with 1:30 remaining.
But with both teams in the double bonus, the game came down to free throws. Pacific Collegiate hit three, while Anzar hit one.
“In the end,” Netzel said, “it was anyone’s game.”
Freshman Kelsey Robledo had nine points and 10 rebounds Friday, while teammate Alyssa Rodriguez had eight points, six steals and five rebounds. Nicole Mello had seven points and six boards in the loss.
Anzar will square off with Pacific Collegiate (3-0 CAL, 8-4) one more time this season on Feb. 6
The Hawks, now 2-1 in the CAL, 4-10 overall, will host Marina High on Thursday in San Juan Bautista. Tip-off is at 4 p.m.
TEAM 1 2 3 4 F
PCS 12 12 7 12 43
ANZ 2 10 18 11 41
Anzar (41) – Rodriguez 4 0 0-0 8, Mello 0 0 7-11 7, Resendez 1 3 0-1 11, Masuen 2 0 0-0 4, Robledo 4 0 1-3 9, Johnson 1 0 0-0 2.
ANZAR HIGH BOYS BASKETBALL
Outscored 19-4 in the first quarter and 40-12 at the half, the Anzar High boys basketball team lost to visiting Carmel 59-27 on Friday in San Juan Bautista.
The Hawks are now 1-3 in the Mission Trail Athletic League, 1-11 overall. Carmel is 3-1 in the MTAL and 6-10 overall.
Carmel’s Garrett Woodward led all scorers with 16 points Friday, while D. Doty had seven to lead the Hawks and Isaac Staley, Jason Merz and Johnny Doty each supplied six.
Anzar will visit Soledad Tuesday. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
TEAM 1 2 3 4 F
CRML 19 21 17 2 59
ANZR 4 8 8 6 27
Carmel (59) – K. Johnston 2 1 0-0 7, Jang 1 0 0-0 2, Hewett 2 0 0-0 4, Woodward 3 2 4-4 16, Peerless 2 1 2-2 9, Pearson 0 0 1-2 1, Lamvick 4 0 0-0 8, Davidson 2 0 2-2 6, Meyer 3 0 0-0 6.
Anzar (27) – Staley 3 0 0-0 6, Merz 3 0 0-0 6, Rocha 1 0 0-0 2, J. Doty 3 0 0-0 6, D. Doty 2 0 3-3 7.
