LJ b BB 57, Serra 46

By Ed Piper

Behzad Hashemi and La Jolla needed a win at Serra, winless in the Western League, to regain some ground in the tough Division One conference.

With St. Augustine battling Mission Bay at the top of the standings, and a talented Cathedral Catholic unit only a step behind, the Vikings wanted to preserve a little of the middle-to-lower ground after a thumping by Christian High.

So, despite indulging in a little of the Q's playground style, Coach Paul Baranowski's Vikings did regain their spirit and savvy after an early-January swoon to control lowly Serra 57-46 Tues., Jan. 15, on a rainy night in Tierrasanta.

Coming out of the locker room at halftime only four points up, La Jolla began to separate itself from the undisciplined hosts, prone to play one-on-one basketball. Hashemi hit a jumper, then fellow senior Jett Wilson put back a miss by Max Raulston for a 29-23 lead.

A long Nick Hulquist, exercising his reach on this night to block several shots, scored on a jump shot, then tipped a Q's shot. That led to hard-driving Christian Gamboa's layup. As Hulquist newly exerted his influence, Gamboa also has returned to the tough-nosed style he exhibited in December before the break.

The visitors led 40-28 at the end of three quarters, and Coach James Carroll's team never got closer than eight the rest of the game.

Hashemi led the Vikings with 18 points. Gamboa, a sophomore forward, finished with 17.

Said Hashemi, the senior point guard, of the Vikings holding on to the lead down the stretch, "We want to kill the clock and not turn the ball over, take good shots." The approach has worked several times for La Jolla this season.

The Vikings are now 2-3 in league play, 9-11 overall. Serra falls to 0-4 in league, 9-10 overall.