For the third time so far this year, the San Benito and Christopher girls basketball teams went down to the final moments. This time – and for the second time this year – Christopher used a late run to pull away and defeat the Balers 43-36 in Hollister on Thursday.
The Cougars received 18 points from Hanna Tabron, including four points in the final four minutes, in the win. But it was 12 points in the third and fourth quarters that allowed the Cougars to pull away despite 24 turnovers on the night.
“They put out their best effort and made the baskets when it was important,” CHS head coach Heather Stewart said after the victory. “They controlled the tempo of the game, which makes a big difference.”
For San Benito, the Balers couldn’t take advantage of ample early opportunities, scoring only 17 first half points. In the loss, Taylor Fabing led the Balers with 12 points, including three 3-pointers. The Balers, though, struggled on the offensive end of the floor, finishing with 23 turnovers.
It was a continuation of the Balers early-season problems, SBHS head coach Mitch Burley said. “Look it was a very good overall effort,” he said. “They are a good team with good players. I told them the difference in the game was the last four minutes. It was a two, three point game the whole time and then we get down near the end and they stretched it to eight. In the first half we had all those chances to makes some threes and we just didn’t. Our issues are just making some open shots.”
The game started slow for both teams – the first basket wasn’t made until four minutes had surpassed on the clock. The score was tied at seven until the Cougars started to pull away in the second quarter behind six points from Tabron and four points from Ally Foster.
Holding a two-point lead in the third quarter, the Cougars started to pull away. Cydney Caradonna finished with eight points and Olivia Tabron contributed six points in the win.
It was one of the biggest wins of the season for the Cougars, Stewart said.
“I think it’s a huge win because it’s a good team,” she said. “ They have some quality wins already. They beat us already. It’s a big win for us to get started. It’s just the beginning.”
The Cougar defense limited the Baler opportunities in the second half, holding San Benito to 19 points. In the loss, Elizabeth Reikowski and Ellie Burley each scored eight points.
San Benito (8-7 overall and 2-1 inside the Monterey Bay League’s Gabilan Division) continues league play at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Seaside. The Cougars, who improved to 2-0 in the MBL, travel to Notre Dame at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
