By Ed Piper, Jr.
La Jolla's 10th-ranked boys basketball team slayed the dragon again, this time physical but overmatched Madison, as the Vikings won their 13th game in 15 tries, 60-38, in an Eastern League contest at home Thurs., Jan. 12. La Jolla is now 2-0 in league play.
On the night before Friday the 13th with wet conditions prevailing outside, Coach Paul Baranowski's contingent got out with only two injuries in the increasingly bruising battle: a twist of forward Charlie Gal's left ankle and a blow to captain Reed Farley's left arm, dislocated in the win over Bishop's two nights before.
The persistent Vikings, who have remained in the county's top ten since last month, again opened early leads, of 12-4 and 15-6, behind Farley and Gal.
Shooting guard Quinn Rawdin continued showing confidence, hitting a three on La Jolla's second possession. A new wrinkle was the action-figure activity of postman Daniel McColl, who showed a speeded-up mode and effective board work against the Warhawks' big men, Dontae Grady and others.
McColl, La Jolla's all-league linebacker, pounded in the first basket of the game on a putback. Then, two minutes later, he drew a foul hitting the boards again and sank both free throws. La Jolla led, 7-2.
The 6-2 senior then scored behind the defense on a touchdown-like pass from Farley the length of the court.
"I was more aggressive," McColl conceded after the game, though he couldn't attribute it to anything in particular. "They're (Madison) really 'handsy'--they get their hands on you a lot."
Later in the game, as Madison (0-3 in the Eastern League, 6-11 overall) saw the lead increase to 36-18 by halftime, and 20 points to begin the third quarter, frustration took over and the burly Grady was kicked out after dropping a pair of F-bombs following his being knocked to the floor in a rare play involving the Vikings' Nick Hammel.
Hammel, in going for a rebound, sprung backwards under La Jolla's basket and reverse head-butted the 6-2 Grady behind him.
The play wasn't intentional. When referees declined to call a foul on Hammel, the Warhawk player stood up and rapidly put his upset into words the officials weren't going to tolerate, and he was banished.
This occurred with four minutes left in the quarter. Shortly, the referees called a huddle with both teams under the basket and warned them on behavior.
"The concern (in lopsided games like this) is players who aren't used to playing," said Baranowski when asked about the potential for injury. "Players who play a lot don't play like that."
Comparing this bruising contest to a loss to Helix in the Hilltop Tournament early in December, the coach said, "With Helix, if they are allowed to be physical, they will beat you. The referees called this game tight, so it kept it in check."
"I went out on the floor," Baranowski explained about the testy third quarter. "I told the referees I would pull my players off and talk to them. But they said they were going to talk to both teams."
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