LJ b BB 46, Mission Bay 70

The Vikings disperse after a team huddle
to start the third quarter. Christian Gamboa
stands in the right foreground.
(Photos by Ed Piper)
 

By Ed Piper

Someone passed in front of the La Jolla bench near the end of halftime, the Vikings trailing at Mission Bay 30-21, and remarked to Coach Paul Baranowski, "They're playing great." To which the veteran coach of 37 years made a face indicating skepticism.

The visitors, facing the eighth-ranked team in San Diego, had been within three points as late as less than three minutes left in the half, and had brought spirit and played with abandon.

Behzad Hashemi's three-pointer closed that gap to 20-17. Jett Wilson, a senior transfer, was competing against his old club teammates in the Bucs' Boogie Ellis, Jaymarree Norton, and others. Christian Gamboa, in his first tussle with Mission Bay, looked tough and effective.

The Vikings, in another battle as the underdog against the powerhouses, enjoyed early moments of glory when they led 7-5 and 9-6. At the start of the contest, Mission Bay officials had only the home side of the stands in the small Quonset-roofed gym pulled out, concentrating the MBHS students, cheerleaders, and (excellent) jazz band alongside La Jolla rooters and interested non-partisans. The crowd noise on each home basket was a roar.

Gamboa did all the scoring from the field for La Jolla in the first quarter, canning its first bucket, a trey, then after Langston Aron sank a free throw Christian nailed another rare three-pointer for a 6-5 lead.

Ellis, the reigning CIF Player of the Year, was visibly motivated and not playing like he discounted the Vikings (now 2-4 in the Western League). (See accompanying story.)

Senior Gabe Solis once again
saw action in his return after
an injury.

It was Gamboa again who scored on a drive, and La Jolla took a 9-6 advantage. It was short-lived.

Andrea Scott, a Buc senior captain, was absent for undisclosed reasons. But Savaughn Davis, a junior guard, more than took up the slack to combine with Ellis and big Ronnie Latting, Mission Bay's 6'7" hulk in the middle.

Hashemi heated up in the second quarter, getting three baskets. Gamboa added two more. But while the Vikings showed ample heart, diving for loose balls, freshman forward Max Raulston had to be removed due to foul trouble and the team just plain needed to score more points.

The Vikings' lead was in the past, and the Mission Bay machine began to build a further edge in the third quarter, going up by 22 late in the period. But Baranowski's team's glory continued in relentless effort, Nick Hulquist's defensive deflections, even a stuff by newly-returned reserve Diego Solis of Ellis' shot in the fourth quarter.

Mission Bay won, 70-46. Gamboa led La Jolla with 24 points. Ellis, who missed a tip dunk on the front of the rim, had 27 for the Buccaneers. The Duke commit made three three-pointers.