Senior Daniel McColl puts up one of his key
free throws at the end of overtime to help
stave off Valhalla, 44-41. (Ed Piper photo)
By Ed Piper, Jr.
Senior Daniel McColl, facing the end of his high school career, twice secured key rebounds at the end of overtime after Charlie Gal put La Jolla ahead with clutch free throws as the Vikings came back to edge visiting Valhalla, 44-41, in a first-round CIF Division 2 basketball playoff game Wed., Feb. 22.
McColl, a veteran 6'2" forward better known on campus for his football prowess, leaped high to snag Gal's missed free throw. Gal had put the Vikings ahead 42-41 by making the first of a pair. The Norsemen were forced to foul McColl to stop the clock with 20.8 seconds left.
McColl made the first of a one-and-one, La Jolla now leading by two.
Then, missing the second free throw, the senior--headed to Stanford next fall academically, not to play sports--maniacally grabbed his own rebound. Again, Valhalla was forced to foul to avoid the clock running down. There were 18 seconds on the clock.
Daniel repeated in making the first of a one-and-one for a three-point lead, and the Norsemen were only able to put up a weak air ball in the remaining seconds.
Said La Jolla assistant Hugh Demiral, a veteran of the European Pro League, "In a playoff, it's all about desire." McColl certainly showed that.
Prior to Gal's free throw for 42-41, he had knocked down a pair of charity tosses for a 41-39 La Jolla lead with 1:47 left. Then at the other end, guard Jacob Ohara made a spectacular defensive play by tipping a pass inside to Valhalla's Malique Shaw away into La Jolla's possession.
Gal was whistled for his fourth personal foul, all since halftime, with 2:06 left. On the play a minute and a half later that led to his free throw for the lead at 42-41, he drove in the lane and conceivably could have been called for a charging foul, which would have been his fifth and given the ball to the Norsemen.
In the last minute in regulation time, senior Nick Hammel hit a three-pointer that brought the hosts back to tie at 36, after La Jolla worked through the offense for an open shot. Valhalla turned the ball over with four seconds left to send the playoff game into overtime.
La Jolla, the eighth seed, trailed Valhalla, seeded ninth, early on in the first-round contest despite enjoying home court advantage. The Vikings found themselves down midway through the second quarter, 20-7.
Senior guard Kai Komaki hit a trio of threes for the orange-clad visitors in the first half.
Coach Paul Baranowski tried to shake things up and inject some life by inserting sophomore Jacob Duffy and senior reserve Garrett Brown, as well as McClain Thiel, another senior.
La Jolla trailed at halftime, 20-13. The Vikes battled to lead 25-23 after three quarters, powered by two threes by Quinn Rawdin to start the second half.
A silly foul by the Norsemen's Ty Schimke on Ohara with under six minutes left in the third quarter could have been the difference in regulation time. As Ohara rushed up court with the ball, the junior defender reached out and pulled Ohara's jersey to hold him back. That was a foul.
But instead of letting it go at that, in his frustration he then gave Ohara a light push, and the officials called a flagrant foul. That awarded Ohara two free throws, instead of the ball merely out of bounds. Jacob made both.
From trailing 22-19, La Jolla now trailed only 22-21. When the Vikings were also awarded the ball out of bounds, McColl made a nice jump hook in the lane. Bingo, the Vikings led, 23-22. They only trailed once again, at 36-33, before Hammel made his clutch jumper to tie.
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