LJ b BB 53, Bishop's 70

Nick Hulquist shoots a free throw in waning minutes
in the Vikings' game at Bishop's.
(Photos by Ed Piper)
 

By Ed Piper

Bishop's, behind 31 points by junior guard Zach White, won the annual rivalry game with La Jolla Fri., Jan. 4, pulling away at the end for a decisive 70-53 win.

The Knights, sparked by seven three-pointers by the long-range-shooting White, simply had too much firepower for the Vikings, who constantly had to play a game of catch-up despite Bishop's 6'6" Chris Rose's being sidelined due to foul trouble.

Coach Nick Levine's Knights (12-4) have now won four in a row, while Paul Baranowski's Vikings drop to an 8-8 record on the season.

Senior Nick Hulquist led La Jolla's attack in the second quarter with four baskets, while sophomore Christian Gamboa filled a similar role in the third period with the same output.

But Bishop's stifled Viking opportunities for open shots with a stingy defense, building a 10-point lead late in the second quarter, 35-25. The visitors fought back to within five by the end of the third quarter, 52-47.

But it all unraveled early in the final period before the sizeable crowd. White hit a three, the Vikes' Behzad Hashemi was denied on a drive, and even LJHS student body favorite Harry Kaseff, who hit two earlier shots, saw his jumper bounce off the lip of the rim as the Knight lead ballooned quickly to 14.

Christian Gamboa puts up a
runner in the fourth quarter.

Rose, who sat with three fouls during the second quarter, then had to depart again with his fourth foul in the third period, got a drop of redemption with his two free throws with less than four minutes left, then a left-handed three-pointer from the baseline with 1:26 left for a commanding 17-point Bishop's lead.

"We stayed with our usual stuff, and played lockdown defense," said a soaked White after the game. "We scouted Behzad, who I've known for a couple of years, because we knew he could shoot."

White, a 6-foot combo guard, scored 34 points in a Torrey Pines Holiday Classic game last week against Fountain Valley.

Hulquist finished with 17 points. Gamboa added 12, all in the second half.

The Vikings return to Western League play Tues., Jan. 8, at Cathedral Catholic in a tough matchup.