LJ b BB 40, Cathedral 68

The Vikes' Reed Farley attempts a

running leaner as Cam Moore (2)

defends.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla backed its way into its Western League basketball schedule, dropping a 68-40 decision at Cathedral Catholic in its highly anticipated league opener Tues., Jan. 5.

The Vikings failed to show the edge they last had in December, having traversed two tournaments and garnering an 8-2 record through the pre-league part of the schedule.

Granted, the Dons are talented. They were ranked seventh in the poll that came out earlier in the day, with reason. Seven-foot Brandon McCoy draws a lot of attention, but 6'5" senior forward Austin Beech shined and looked sharp, unlike the undisciplined but athletic McCoy.

But La Jolla fans, bringing expectation along with acknowledgement of the difficult Western League ahead--the other private Catholic school in the conference, St. Augustine, is ranked second--had hopes of an effort similar to the 68-59 upset of then-seventh-ranked Grossmont in the Foothillers' own tournament two weeks ago.

It was not to be. After keeping pace with the taller Dons and trailing only 28-24 later in the second quarter, the Vikings reverted to looking like the LJHS we've seen too many times in the past and quickly lost ground, down 40-24 at halftime.

They never came closer than 16 points, eventually losing by the final 28-point margin.

Charlie Gal was the most effective Viking in his minutes played off the bench, scoring back-to-back baskets against the towering McCoy down low in the second quarter to help La Jolla close within four points. He also managed to draw an offensive foul from the Dons' center to open the final quarter, as Brandon tried to maneuver toward the basket on the baseline.

The Vikings, after their early spurt that saw them tied11-11, then trailing only 28-24, didn't look prepared for their initial league showdown. Alex Pitrofsky, giving up six inches at center to McCoy, showed some of the grim determination in the first half that led him to frustrate the Hillers' Tommy Rutherford.

After being partially blocked on his first try against the big man, Pitro drove to score over him at 4-4, then repeated it for the 11-11 tie.

But none of the Vikings could sustain a charge. Meanwhile, at least four Cathedral players had dunks to add insult to injury as the lead mounted over the final two and a half quarters.

Beech, who averages 15 points a game, had a couple of slams. Zachary Green, 6'2", who was averaging only 2.2 points per game coming in, had a trio of dunks. And McCoy, who did lose the ball several times under La Jolla pressure in the early going, blew hot-and-cold and slammed home at least three more. He averages 21.5 points and 10.9 rebounds per game.

Cathedral has somewhat signaled its contempt for La Jolla's basketball team the last two years in not charging admission to games against the Vikings, after previously charging. The crowd wasn't large, but the attitude still seems to be in the air.

What Viking fans disappointed in this outing would hope for in the rematch at La Jolla Feb. 2 is a performance worth making Cathedral reconsider its free-entry policy of late.

In other Western League games, Mission Bay blew out University City, 91-34, and Scripps Ranch defeated Lincoln, 37-29. Any loss by Lincoln is welcomed by La Jolla after the Hornets' years of domination.