LJ b BB 41, Scripps Ranch 52

The over-under: Daniel McColl (right) looks like

he's about ready to take Falcon opponent's head

off, while Garrett Brown (left) fights for ball

in closing minutes. (Photo by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

La Jolla, playing without forward Charlie Gal and losing captain Reed Farley in the second quarter, struggled and dropped a 52-41 Eastern League decision to visiting Scripps Ranch Thurs., Jan. 26.

The Vikings, losing a second straight league game to fall to 3-2, trailed narrowly by two, 24-22, at halftime after Farley went out after dunking, then landing awkwardly and twisting his left knee. He had a bag of ice strapped to his knee as he sat out the rest of the game.

Meanwhile, the hosts, behind seniors Nick Hammel and Daniel McColl, pretty much played the Falcons even in the third quarter, down only three at the close of the period.

Hammel, a 6'2" guard, put Coach Paul Baranowski's squad ahead 28-26 with a jumper early in the stanza. McColl connected on two free throws for 30-28, as he continued to pound the boards in the absence of his frontcourt mate Gal for the fourth straight game.

Gal, dressed in regular clothes, said late in the game that he would return to play in the Vikings' game next Fri., Feb. 3, at Hoover. That game will begin La Jolla's second rotation against its five Eastern League opponents to close out the regular season before the CIF playoffs.

Hammel added another jump shot from the right baseline, the Vikings (14-5 overall) now trailing by only one, 33-32, late in the third quarter.

The Falcons, behind Baturay Koyuncu, outscored La Jolla 16-10 in the fourth quarter and pulled away after leading by only five, 41-36, after Viking Garrett Brown's putback of his own miss.

Koyuncu hit a three, then added a two-pointer down the stretch to power Scripps Ranch, which still only won by nine with La Jolla's two big guns out.

The Falcons move up to 4-1 in the Eastern League, 12-7 overall.

The Vikings still had hope when junior Quinn Rawdin banked a three off the backboard to trail only 45-39.

They had another chance when McColl, consistently banging the boards, deposited a three-pointer from the corner with the shot clock running out. Baranowski called timeout, his team down only 47-42.

But those were the last points the red and black would score, as Koyuncu made a pair of free throws, Daniel Cox likewise for the final edge.