Reed Farley (bottom left) tries
an awkward layup against
the Pats' Christian Choice (20).
(Photos by Ed Piper, Jr.)
By Ed Piper, Jr.
Quinn Rawdin had a breakout shooting game, and La Jolla held on to take a 68-61 win on the road at Patrick Henry Fri., Jan. 20.
Rawdin hit five three-pointers--four in the first half--as the Vikings defeated the Patriots, previously undefeated in the Eastern League, upping their own league record to 3-0 atop the standings.
On a stormy night, following a second consecutive day of rain with streets flooded and trees waterlogged by the water falling onto cars in the strong winds, La Jolla got guard Reed Farley back but had to weather the continued absence of forward Charlie Gal.
Under a new presidential administration on Inaugural Day, the lefty Rawdin brought a new confidence and touch that he hasn't shown previously this season as he nailed a three for an early 13-7 lead before a loud Patrick Henry student section that stood the entire game.
The 6-foot-2 junior struck again from behind the arc for 16-12. The short-handed Vikings led by as much as 11 in the first half, but settled for a narrow 38-33 lead at halftime. Christian Choice and Jayden Holloway had key contributions for the Patriots.
Patrick Henry students, known for cheering
vocally, had fun with their chants about
Farley.
Henry coach Jason Bryant, the former Lincoln coach who led the Hornets to the state title in 2010, was delayed a little in his three-year effort to build the Patriots into Lincoln East. But the Pats are stronger than they used to be.
Farley, after sitting out Wednesday's nonleague loss at Orange Glen with Gal, was effective but got caught up a little in an "I'll show them" with the Henry vocal student section.
Two weeks ago, after a league-opening win over Hoover before a home crowd, the senior acknowledged it was possible to hear the crowd's noise too much.
With the Vikings nursing a narrow lead in the second quarter, the green-and-gold students began harping on Farley, "Ball hog, ball hog." By the third quarter, hearing this repeatedly got under the Harvard-bound captain's skin, as he tried a long three that missed.
Then, closing the quarter with La Jolla pulling away at 53-40 over the inconsistent host team, Farley hit a three from the top of the key and instantly turned to the Henry students, both arms raised in the air. This reporter has never seen the stellar athlete respond in this manner before in his four years of basketball at La Jolla.
Jason Bryant (R), former Lincoln coach:
His team not so fortunate this night.
A short time prior to this, the point guard tried an ill-advised backwards no-look pass over his head to a teammate which resulted in a turnover.
Meanwhile, Daniel McColl, effective underneath, and Rawdin were both in foul trouble as Coach Paul Baranowski employed only six players the first two quarters. Quinn, after another three-pointer in the second half, fouled out with five minutes left in the game, La Jolla ahead 57-49.
McColl finally was assessed with his fifth personal foul with 29 seconds left.
Henry's Choice and Holloway continued making things nervous for La Jolla, leading the Patriots back to within two on Choice's three-pointer with 1:47 left in the game.
But Farley, regaining his self-control, followed that long bomb with an authoritative one-handed jam and a free throw, and the Vikings never looked back.
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