Friday, Jan. 27, 2012

Los Banos outclasses Pacheco boys basketball in first clash

Four 3-pointers for Guilford

They say you can throw out the record books in a rivalry game, but before you can do that you have to create the records.

Los Banos High's boys basketball team notched a 76-62 win in the first meeting between LB and Pacheco's varsity squads Wednesday at LBHS.

"It's Pacheco-Los Banos, it's a cross-town rivalry -- first varsity game against them," said Los Banos guard Garrett Guilford, who showed more emotion than usual. "It was a great game, very intense game. ... I expected them to pressure us and run, tire us out, and they're a pretty fast team."

Guilford hit four of eight 3-point attempts, but it was Joey Bennett who led all scorers with 27 points. Edgar Iglesias led the Panthers with 23 points -- including four 3-pointers of his own -- followed by Dominique Prophete's 16.

"I feel like we're getting better every day," Pacheco coach Tyrell Jenkins said. "We're getting challenged by the seniors, the guys that have been here and done it last year, and now they're doing it this year.

"Joey had a hell of a game, but playing him and seeing him gets us better."

Bennett and Jake Martin owned the boards for LB, with Bennett pulling down 10 and Martin 9.

"I think ball movement for us was key tonight," Guilford said. "It got us open shots, and our big man Kyle Quint had a great game. It was a big assist game for us, and it was great ball movement by our team."

With LB's twos and threes on the court in the fourth quarter, Pacheco outscored the Tigers 24-16.

"I thought their players stepped up a little," Jenkins said, "and ours were a little more passive until the end, until it was more juniors against juniors."

The game completed both squads' first run through the Western Athletic Conference, with LB's only loss coming to Central Catholic. The Tigers (13-6, 5-1 WAC) face CC (18-3, 6-0) at home tonight in a rematch that has fired up the Tigers. On the line is a possible WAC title and inside track to host a playoff game, something LB hasn't done in decades.

"It being homecoming, I think that it's going to be a great thing," Los Banos coach Mike Bonillas said. "It's going to be a great story. All we've got to do is write it."

Pacheco (8-13, 2-4) faces Ceres (4-16, 2-3) at home tonight in a game the Panthers feel is very winnable.

"We're right in the middle of the pack, and we can compete against anybody," Jenkins said. "We've just got to play smarter. And that's through playing games."

Enterprise reporter David Witte can be reached by phone at 388-6565 or by e-mail at sports@losbanosenterprise.com