Monday, Feb. 08, 2010
Los Banos girls varsity basketball evens up series with Atwater
By John-Joel Griffiths / jgriffiths@losbañosenterprise.com
Ieashia Isby and Brianna Harden of the Los Baños High girls varsity basketball team came up huge for the Tigers once again on Tuesday night.
Isby (15 points) and Harden (18 points) combined for 33 points during a 61-55 Central California Conference victory over visiting Atwater High.
"We pushed the lead a couple of different times (in the second half)," Los Baños head coach Mike Perkins said. "I thought we played really well in some stretches.
"Credit Atwater. They kept pushing back into it, and fortunately we had some players step up at the end and hit some free throws."
Atwater trailed by double digits in the second half. Pulling within two possessions of Los Baños' lead was the closest Atwater got to the 'W'.
"The last 2-3 minutes of the game was how we should have been playing the whole time," Atwater head coach Jason Boesch said. "But we didn't, and that's the way it goes.
"We missed too many easy putbacks and layups. For a varsity team that's inexcusable. We can't miss easy shots and expect to win. It's just not going to happen."
Los Baños outscored Atwater by one during the first quarter and took a 6-point lead into the locker rooms.
In the second quarter, Atwater (4-4 CCC) was outscored 14-9.
Atwater point guard Amber Gutierrez finished with a team-high 14 points. Ebbonie Harris added 12 to the total.
Isby sealed the win with 30 seconds left. Harden made up the final score with the game's final free throw.
Dana Carlotti had 6 points and Lalli Bobadilla finished with 12.
Bobadilla had three points in the fourth quarter, including a bucket with 5-minutes, 43-seconds left in the ball game that stretched the Tigers' lead back out to double digits.
Michelle Ceja finished with 8 points and Priscilla Gutierrez rounded out the total with 2.
Los Baños improved to 4-4 in the CCC after the Atwater win and will play at home this Tuesday against Turlock High at 7:15 p.m.
