Anzar’s Kelsey Robledo scores 20, Alyssa Rodriguez 10 in 67-14
win
SAN JUAN BAUTISTA
The Anzar High girls basketball team did its part Thursday night. On Tuesday, Pacific Collegiate did not.
Kelsey Robledo scored 20 points, Alyssa Rodriguez had 10 and the Hawks pummeled visiting Marina 67-14 Thursday in San Juan Bautista, and now sit even atop the Coastal Athletic League with Pacific Collegiate, which lost 41-32 to Anchorpoint Christian on Tuesday.
The PCS defeat puts a one-loss bottleneck on top of the league, and the Hawks back in position to earn the CAL title after it previous lost to the Pumas 43-41 last week.
“We control our own destiny,” Anzar head coach Aaron Netzel said. “We know what we need to do.”
Winning out, not to mention avenging the Jan. 16 loss to Pacific Collegiate, would ensure the Hawks of a second straight league title, as well as another Central Coast Section berth.
And on Thursday, Anzar took the first step in that process by dismantling Marina and posting a season-high in points with 67.
Liliana Resendez and Allison Baker each chimed in with nine points apiece, while point guard Sydnee Masuen’s four-point effort included five assists, three rebounds and three steals.
“I’m really impressed with Lili,” Netzel said of guard Resendez. “She’s really stepped it up from last year.”
Netzel used his starters to open the game, and the Hawks responded with a 25-1 first-quarter lead. Anzar eventually took a 36-5 lead to halftime.
“We were obviously very dominant in that first period,” Netzel said. “We played the way we’re supposed to.”
The head coach emptied his bench as a result of the sizable lead, but Marina was unable to mount any sort of a comeback, and was held to just nine points in the second half.
Anzar, meanwhile, scored 31 in the third and fourth quarters combined.
Netzel employed a new offensive motion – a 1-3-1 set – while also using a variation of the man-to-man defense Thursday in order to prepare for upcoming opponents, most notably Anchorpoint on Jan. 31 and Pacific Collegiate on Feb. 6.
“Every game we take with the utmost seriousness,” Netzel said. “We’re just tinkering and preparing, because we know what challenges lie ahead.”
The Hawks are now 3-1 in the CAL, 5-10 overall.
Anzar will face York on Wednesday in San Juan Bautista. Tip-off is at 6 p.m.
TEAM 1 2 3 4 F
MAR 1 4 3 6 14
ANZ 25 11 16 15 67
Anzar (67) – K. Robledo 10 0 0-0 20, A. Rodriguez 5 0 0-0 10, N. Mello 1 0 2-8 4, C. Johnson 1 0 0-0 2, S. Masuen 2 0 0-0 4, L. Resendez 3 1 0-0 9, A. Baker 4 0 1-2 9, G. Medina 0 0 1-4 1, M. Terrano 1 1 0-0 5, S. Sorensen 1 0 1-1 3.
ANZAR HIGH BOYS BASKETBALL
Pacific Grove won its 38th straight game in the Mission Trail Athletic League Thursday when it defeated visiting Anzar High 69-14.
Jason Merz led the Hawks with four points, three rebounds and four blocks.
Nicollo Bongioanni paced the Breakers with 17 points, while teammates Jordan Williams had 13 and Brian Kiely had 11.
Pacific Grove is now 6-0 in the MTAL, 10-6 overall. Anzar falls to 1-5 in the MTAL, 1-13 overall.
The Hawks will visit Gonzales on Monday at 7 p.m.
