By Ed Piper
It was good to see the Vikings recapture some of the magic that they showed in December in taking the Hilltop tourney out of nowhere.
Charlie Gal, all 6'6" of him, was among the re-charged La Jollans who took it to visiting Cathedral Catholic with aggressiveness and assurance. After the Vikings controlled the opening tip against 6'7" Don leaper Obinna Anyanwu, the senior drove directly to the basket.
Though Obinna blocked his attempt, the play still augured well for Gal and his mates, who all looked like they got away for the weekend after two league-opening losses, took a deep breath, and came back in week number two of the Western League fray enjoying basketball once again.
After all, isn't that why they play and we watch--because we all love the game?
Emphasis on the word "game". Children play games because they're fun. Folks older than that, whether teenagers or adults, indulge because they can take part of some of that physical and mental biplay that is so stimulating.
Basketball, in its best forms, is art. And the Vikings came wanting to splay an array of colors across their newly-bought canvas.
Too bad more people weren't present to catch the upset. With the rain outside, and the early weekday start at 5 p.m., former Athletic Director Bob Allen, who lived through each bit of the action seated in his chair in the southeastern corner of the gym as the contest came down to the end, said City Conference schools decided not to charge admission for the midweek games. What's this world coming to?
But it also echoed the fact not a lot of gente were going to be in attendance. Sierra Roberson and a few other students sat on the student side, with the LJHS cheerleaders doing their thing at the far end of the stands. But not too many other people were present outside of players' parents.
Gal hit a nice turnaround, fallaway jump shot to start the fourth quarter, the Vikings only leading by seven, to surprise Anyanwu. That's one of the things Charlie can do best.
He also showed confidence on a line-drive jump shot that rattled in with 2:50 left in the game.That gave La Jolla a 53-42 lead and some breathing room.
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