Friday, Feb. 19, 2010
Tigers test Bears early in CCC match
Contest remained close until fourth quarter
By John-Joel Griffiths / jgriffiths@losbanosenterprise.com
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ReprintThe Los Baños High boys varsity basketball team put up a fight against Merced High on Wednesday night.
Merced, the No. 3 ranked school in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I power ratings, pulled away in the final four minutes of regulation and ran away with a 74-58 Central California Conference victory.
"I thought we were a little flat, but we made the plays when we needed to," Merced head coach Marcus Knott said. "For a large part of the game we didn't match (Los Baños') intensity.
"We were on our heels, but at the end of the game the kids were able to raise their level of intensity."
Los Baños, which fell to 1-10 in the CCC, competed against Merced through the first 28 minutes.
However, the win clinched at least a share of the CCC title for Merced -- its fourth straight conference championship for Knott's boys.
Midway through the fourth quarter Merced (10-1 CCC) scored seven unanswered points to go ahead by nine, 62-53.
"It was a three-point game with four minutes to go," Los Baños head coach Joe Barcellos said. "And then the wheels kind of came off. All the second and third chances we were giving up finally came back to haunt us."
Los Baños trailed by five at the end of the first quarter. At the end of the second quarter, Los Banos junior guard Jalen Bourbon (team-high 15 points) beat the half-time buzzer to make it 33-30 heading into the locker room.
"(Bourbon) hit some big shots," Barcellos said. "He has a ways to go still, but he had a good game.
"It's obviously nice to have him coming back next year."
At the end of the third quarter, Bourbon knocked down another clutch basket that sent the home crowd into momentary hysteria.
Bourbon beat the buzzer again, this time to make it a 49-45 ball game heading into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Max Ornelas knocked down a key 3-ball to make it 55-53 with under five minutes to play.
However, Merced, scored seven unanswered to take control and pull away for good.
Los Baños, which closes out its season tonight against Pitman High of Turlock at 7:15 p.m., was outscored 25-9 over the final quarter of the contest.
Merced, which was led by Reggie Nelson's 18 points, scored the last six points of the game to make up the final score.
Tyrone Bowie added 17 for Merced. Brian Cooksey added 12 and Otis Caery finished with 13.
Erik Martin chipped in 9 points for LB and Tyler Simmons finished with 7.
"Anytime you can keep it close with a team that has won 20 games it's always a plus," Barcellos concluded. "Definitely proud of the guys."
To contact John-Joel Griffiths, e-mail jgriffiths@losbanosenterprise.com or call 826-3831 ext. 565.