San Benito downs Wildcatz 60-43
HOLLISTER
Motivation may have been lacking.
After previously dispatching Watsonville by 52 points at the Seascape Classic in Aptos earlier this season, the San Benito boys basketball team welcomed the Wildcatz to Hollister’s Mattson Gym Saturday for a non-conference, non-tournament match-up.
And although the ‘Balers weren’t 52-point favorites the second time around, they did manage to lead early and often en route to a 60-43 win.
San Benito, which held leads of 12-9 after the first quarter and 29-17 at halftime, improves to 5-4 overall.
While the Haybalers recently routed Watsonville 75-23 at the Aptos tournament on Dec. 6, though, San Benito head coach John Becerra said he’d like to see his team come into each game with the same determination, no matter the opponent.
“I thought we could have done better,” Becerra said of Saturday’s win. “I think we need to be more motivated with whoever we are playing. We need to go out there and execute.”
Eric Elayda led San Benito with 15 points and two assists, while Dominic Zanella had 11 points and a team-high six rebounds. Kyle Vallejo had eight points and teammate Tyler Rickard had seven behind 3 of 4 shooting from the free throw line.
The ‘Balers will visit Monterey on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Toreadors (9-2) defeated Salinas 95-93 in triple overtime on Saturday at the Carmel High School Invitational Basketball Tournament.
TEAM 1 2 3 4 F
WAT 9 8 12 14 43
SAN 12 17 17 14 60
San Benito (60) – Gillies 1 0 0-0 2, Vallejo 4 0 0-2 8, Alves 2 0 0-0 4, King 1 0 0-0 2, Elayda 4 3 1-1 15, Canchola 3 0 0-0 6, Rickard 2 0 3-4 7, Corral 1 0 0-0 2, Zanella 4 0 3-8 11.
