LJ b BB 48, Madera South 47

After La Jolla's comeback win over Madera South,

UCSD staff member updates Gold Division
bracket Saturday. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla's basketball team celebrated part of the pre-Fourth of July weekend with a scrappy 48-47 comeback win over Madera Union at the UCSD Team Camp Saturday afternoon, July 1.

Trailing 47-44 with 1:38 left in RIMAC Arena, the Vikings' Evan Brown missed a free throw. He then stopped a Madera basket inside with a foul, the free throw alike being missed.

Then guard Behzad Hashemi, on the right perimeter, found Charlie Gal alone underneath with a pass to bring the Vikings to within 47-46 with less then a minute remaining.

After another missed Madera charity shot, Hashemi was fouled while shooting with 22.1 on the clock. The rising junior, who played much of the game, made both free throws to put La Jolla permanently ahead, 48-47.

Gal then had a block in which he took the ball away and controlled it under the opposite basket at 12.9. Though he missed two free throws after being fouled, rising freshman Diego Solis blocked a layup, sending the ball out of bounds.

Madera coach Jody Sharp called a timeout with 3.2 seconds left. On the ensuing inbounds play by Madera, Solis secured the ball as time ran out.

Gal, a 6'5" rising senior--one of only two seniors on Coach Paul Baranowski's team--dominated defensive statistics with six defensive rebounds in the second half. In UCSD's format, teams play two 20-minute running halves.

Gal also had his first slam dunk in a game in this reporter's viewing, when he went straight up and two-hand slammed to tie the score at 27-all with 14:54 left in the contest. The dunk marks a visibly increased vertical leap for the returning starter, who also started part-time as a sophomore two seasons ago.

The Vikings went ahead to lead 8-7 with 13 minutes left in the first half, then led again after ties at 13 and 17 before going into halftime trailing 21-19.

The lead seesawed in the second half, with Madera either being tied or leading most of the half until La Jolla's come-from-behind.

Before the Vikings' final comeback, guard Jacob Ohara, the team's other rising senior, scored on a slashing drive to bring the red and black back to within 44-42. He also scored inside on another basket in the half, along with dishing out an assist.

Besides Hashemi, Gal, Ohara, and Diego Solis on the floor during crunch time down the stretch, Baranowski also employed rising junior Nick Hulquist for crucial minutes, as well as Brown. Gabe Solis subbed in for Ohara with two minutes left.

The Vikings continued to score the majority of their points around the basket, as they have all week in the Montgomery High tournament and at the UCSD weekend event. Outside shots have been few and far between: Hashemi hit a three in the second half Saturday. Gal hit a fadeaway. Gal also hit a bomb from the top of the key in the first half.

Sharp complained during the closing sequence in which his team lost the lead and the game that referees missed a traveling call out on the perimeter. His appeals from the sidelines fell on deaf ears.

Madera South is located 25 miles northwest of Fresno on Highway 99. You can be sure the Stallion players, coaches, and families are enjoying their short stay in cool San Diego.