LJ b BB 64, UC 52

La Jolla's Nick Hammel exerts in trying to maintain

possession against UC's Seth Laurie.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla's basketball team held off a late University City rally to win its 11th game out of 13 that were not against highly-ranked Western League opponents, not counting early-season losses to Parker and Torrey Pines. The Vikings prevailed, 64-52, Fri., Jan. 22, in front of their biggest crowd of the year by far.

In sifting through the Vikings' record like this--throwing out league losses to Cathedral Catholic, St. Augustine, and Mission Bay--it shows the relative strength of the 2015-16 team. Coach Paul Baranowski's squad hasn't been stellar against top Western League foes, but it has been very good against all others.

And we could take the sifting one step further: La Jolla played well against then-fifth-ranked Torrey Pines before losing. And if it weren't for Tulane-bound Timothy Harrison shooting unconsciously from well beyond the three-point arc for 35 points, La Jolla could have beaten Parker, too.

In the rivalry game against the young Centurions, with the outstanding LJHS band in uniform and in fine tune for the second Friday night in a row, junior Reed Farley and comrades built a 14-point halftime lead on a 28-9 run.

Then, with their lead down to five and under two minutes left and the struggling Eddie Parker hitting three key free throws on a single shooting foul, the Vikings were able to hold off a surging UC unit for the final 12-point margin.

La Jolla's first-half tear converted an early 7-2 deficit to a 30-16 lead after two quarters. But then UC's Anil Tangirala made a bid for late heroics by hitting four three-pointers in the final period and the Centurions, winless (0-6) in the Western League, trailed only 53-48 when Parker stepped to the line.

Eddie had clanked three of six previous free throws, hitting the front of the rim and throwing up one air ball. He shook his head and muttered to himself. With 1:44 left in the game, and the shot-clock on three, the senior guard leaped in the air beyond the arc. Foolishly on UC's part, he was fouled, giving him a trio of free throws.

He calmly sank all three in succession, giving the Vikings some breathing room and an eight-point lead, enough to sail home safely.

In the third quarter, Anil and his minions began making things tough for the hosts with four threes by four different players. La Jolla still held them at least nine points away the whole quarter, though.

Parker finished with 16 points. Farley had 15.

It was the uncanny Farley-Alex Pitrofsky connection that helped fuel the early drive. Farley, the Vikings' junior point guard, found his 6'6" counterpart twice in the opening quarter for baskets. They combined for another in the second quarter.

But it was also the movement without the ball of the senior Pitrofsky, showing no ill effects of a sickness that sidelined him Tuesday, that created headaches for the Centurions. Alex scored a trio of baskets in each of the first two quarters, then two in each of the second two quarters, for a total of 22 points to lead all scorers. UC had no one with the height or ability to rein him in.