Anzar can’t overcome bigger Breakers; sees three-game winning
streak end in 46-34 loss to Pacific Grove
San Juan Bautista – As the old adage goes, you can’t teach height. Or size, for that matter.
Simply put, Pacific Grove had too much of both for the Anzar boys basketball team to handle last night. The Hawks, giving up several inches and pounds at each spot on the floor, fell 46-34 to the visiting Breakers.
“They just overpowered us tonight,” said Anzar head coach Ed Cecena. “Their size just made it hard for us to knock down the shots we normally knock down.”
The loss brought the Hawks’ three-game winning streak to an end and marked the second time this season Anzar fell to the Breakers. However, after suffering a 52-20 blowout loss on Jan. 24 at Pacific Grove, the Hawks walked off the court last night knowing that they had played much better the second time around.
Despite enduring game-long shooting woes and falling behind 23-14 at the half, Anzar never let the Breakers (15-9, 11-3 Mission Trail) run away with the game.
“Probably today we played a little more defense,” said Hawks junior guard Nick Romero, who led that effort with three steals. “I think if we shot a little better, we might’ve come out with this game–a ‘W.'”
Trailing 16-8 two minutes into the second quarter, Anzar (12-8) had a glimpse of a comeback appear but vanish nearly as quickly. Hawks forward Scott Benson drove hard to the hole, drawing a foul that put his team in the bonus, but crumpled to the floor in pain–hearing his knee pop five times.
Though Benson converted his two free throws to pull his team within six points, the Hawks never made it to the line for the rest of the half. Moreover, though Benson bravely played through his pain for much of the rest of the game, Anzar found tackling the bigger Breakers without its best post presence at full strength too difficult.
Using their superior height to find passing lanes over outstretched Hawks’ arms, the Breakers continuously looked for post players Chris Hardee and Peter Kuck under the hoop.
Hardee, in particular, used his 50-pound weight advantage to establish prime position on the block seemingly at will and made Anzar pay by scoring a game-high 16 points.
Though he didn’t miss many of his point-blank shots, Hardee had his way with the under-sized Hawks even when he missed. Taking a pass from Royce Eason a minute into the fourth quarter, Hardee saw his lay-up attempt roll off the rim, but he calmly collected his own offensive rebound and converted the putback to give Pacific Grove a 35-22 lead.
Said Hardee: “We just wanted to run some plays to get it down low, underneath, to get some high-percentage shots.”
Hawks center Eric Olson spoke of being on the receiving end of the Breakers’ punishing inside play.
“It was hard when they got down low and just pushed you around,” said Olson, who finished with eight points. “You can’t do much against someone that much bigger than you.”
Meanwhile, Anzar at times couldn’t buy a basket, despite repeatedly getting open looks.
“Our outside shots were there, but we just couldn’t come through,” said Romero.
Cecena was happy with his team’s shot selection, but spoke of how the Hawks have trouble when they are out-sized.
“We play a little bit intimidated against big teams,” said Cecena, who nevertheless commended Anzar for playing much better than it did in its first game against Pacific Grove. “I think we got good shots, but we just didn’t knock ’em down. We just took one shot and that was it. They worked us pretty good on the boards.”
Benson posted team-highs of nine points and nine rebounds, while guards Adrian Monroy and Stephen MacKabee both scored six for the Hawks.
The loss dropped Anzar to 6-7 in the Mission Trail Athletic League with one game remaining. The Hawks host league-leader Carmel tomorrow at 3pm in their regular season finale.
Having already qualified for the Central Coast Section playoffs, Anzar will then await word Sunday on the seeding for the Division V tournament.
Benson and Romero thought playing against Pacific Grove and other tall teams can only help the Hawks as they embark on their maiden CCS appearance.
“Those are the type of guys we’ll see size-wise in CCS,” said Benson, who finished the game with ice on his knee, but still hoped to be available against Carmel.
Said Romero: “It’s helping us in practice. When we’re up against big guys, we’ll know what to do.”
