Friday, Feb. 15, 2013
LB girls survive outbracket game
Tigers overcome 15-point deficit
By David Witte
sports@losbanosenterprise.com
The Los Banos girls basketball team overcame a 15-point third-quarter deficit to survive its outbracket game Friday, 56-55 over San Juan.
A scramble for a loose ball led to a Los Banos inbound pass with 7 seconds remaining and the Tigers trailing 55-54. The ball swung around to LB guard Jacquelin Arretche at the top of the key, but when she pulled the trigger on a 3-point shot, SJs Dominique Contreras was there to get a hand on it.
LB guard Alexis Barcellos was waiting for the errant shot under the basket, where she laid it in off the glass.
We didnt draw that up, no, Los Banos coach Danny Crosby said with a laugh. But Im glad it happened.
Barcellos was mobbed by her teammates, but there was still 2.4 seconds left on the clock. San Juan inboundwith a half-court pass to guard Robbin Martinez, who caught it in the air and stumbled backward, earning a travel call as time expired.
Martinez was one of two catalysts for San Juan, torching LB for 15 points in the first half. Her teammate Jesse Enright added 14 in the second half. Near the end of the third quarter, the Spartans led 48-33 after an Enright layup.
When we realized that (Martinez) was taking all those shots, we did a box and one on her, and Alyssa Luna was the one that did that, Barcellos said. She was the one that got us back in the game with her passes and taking it to the basket.
Everything we were told to do but everyone was too afraid, she started and we all kind of followed.
With Luna directing the point, LB chipped away to take a 54-53 lead on a Tiffany Liu free throw, but Enright put SJ back on top with about 2:30 remaining. Nobody scored again until Barcellos game-winner.
I really cant explain. We do go kind of flat in the fourth quarter, but I think it was the intensity and knowing that there is no tomorrow if we dont win, so I think they just had the energy to go. Alyssa came out and did an excellent job in the second half.
LB, the 15th seed, will travel to No. 2 Colfax on Tuesday.
