Barons' Atoa Fox (2) and
teammate harry Alex
Pitrofsky (12) early.
(Photo by Ed Piper)
By Ed Piper
In a game that saw the lead change nine times after La Jolla initially blew out to a 12-3 lead, the Vikings ended the weekend with a bitter taste in their mouths after beating Lincoln the night before, dropping a 63-57 match at home to Bonita Vista Saturday afternoon, February 6.
Senior Eddie Parker led all scorers with 17 points. Four players in the game had 15 points: Reed Farley and Alex Pitrofsky for the Vikings, Atoa Fox and Taylor Nelson for the visiting Barons.
In what portended for a good start, Pitrofsky won the opening tip and Parker made one of two free throws, then a three-pointer off an assist from Farley for a 4-0 lead. After Bonita's Dylan Decker missed a three and Farley mirrored him, Parker was the beneficiary of La Jolla's successfully breaking the press with a bucket.
Farley, really springing, went high to rebound the next Baron miss, then dished to Alex for the 8-3 lead.
Fortunately for the hosts, Bonita Vista was misfiring on repeated threes in the early going. It was not to be later on. Parker, again, sneaked behind the press to score on a pass from Nick Hammel. When Farley fed Hammel in turn, La Jolla led 12-3.
A sparse Saturday afternoon crowd, with the game moved forward to a 1:30 start because of the ASB Ball in the evening, sat on only one side as the stands on the student side weren't pulled out.
While the Vikings outscored Bonita 15-8 in the second quarter, the Barons returned the favor in the third with a 14-8 edge. It was their warm-up for the final period, when the visitors hit five threes to salt the game away.
The second quarter was marked by two events. In one, with La Jolla leading 29-26, a technical was called on Bonita Vista that was loudly disputed by some visiting fans among the small crowd. On the play, Farley was fouled. He made the second of two free throws.
Then Parker made both technical shots, putting the Vikings up 32-26. It was hard to see what the technical had been for, and Bonita fans voiced their displeasure, with one referee interacting with people in the crowd, which is ill-advised. The clock was at 1:48.
The second event came as La Jolla was trying to use up the clock at the end of the half for its last possession. As Pitrofsky, on the free throw line, passed the ball back to Farley at the point, a Baron defender got his hand on the ball.
The ball caromed into the back court, and when Reed retrieved the ball, the rear official called a backcourt violation. Farley ran toward the referee to appeal the call, saying the ball had been last touched by the Bonita Vista player. But the officials held to the call, turning the ball over.
The formerly vocal Bonita fans weren't displeased. Baranowski went to the officials at the end of the quarter to discuss the call again, but to no avail.
The Vikings gained a little face-saving by forcing a Baron turnover for holding the ball for five seconds, but a last-second heave the length of the court by Farley fell to the floor.
The teams were tied 40-40 at the end of three quarters. The Vikings last led in the game, 47-46, with four minutes remaining. They were knotted at 52-52 at 2:45. But Nelson, a 5'9" guard, hit a three-pointer. Quentin Harrison made a pair of free throws.
With La Jolla down by five, Reed missed a soaring layup, the ball jamming against the rim. Pitrofsky scored on a pass from Farley but then fell to the floor, shaken up after being fouled. He lay on the floor for a few moments, rubbing the right side of his face when he got up. He had to leave the game temporarily.
Bonita Vista, now leading by only three, went into a four-quarter spread to kill the final minute. The Vikings had been forced into having to foul to stop the clock down the stretch. Hamel fouled out with 57.7 seconds left. Senior Arthur Anthony sank two clutch free throws for Bonita.
Farley scored on a drive and made the free throw after being fouled at 42.3 seconds.
But then Parker fouled out with 39 seconds. Fox made the first of a one-and-one, missing the second. The Barons' Nelson, likewise, made the first on a bonus.
The Vikings' Quinn Rawdin, inserted by Baranowski for his three-point abilities, misfired. This set up a foul to stop the clock against Atoa Fox again. He calmly sank both free throws for the final six-point margin.
La Jolla enjoys a bye Tues., Feb. 9, before returning to Western League action Thurs., Feb. 11, before the four-day Presidents Holiday weekend. The Vikings play in the main event in a girls varsity/boys varsity doubleheader at University City High.
The week after, league play concludes with the CIF playoffs starting Wed., Feb. 24.
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