Boys Varsity Basketball

Griffins scare Knights, but succumb 40-37

By Ana Saavedra Banzer
Cambridge College
For two years in a row, the International boys varsity baskball team has scared the living daylights out of a high-flying Cambridge team in the teams' second meeting of the year, only to lose in the end by three points.
One more such occasion will officially make it a League tradition.

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ON FIRE -- Knight Jose Ribero unleashes a shot. The eighth grader had three three-pointers among his 22 points.

Jonatan Muñoz, International

This year the Griffins stormed back in the third quarter to erase much of the 10-point lead Cambridge had eventually built up at halftime, and then the Griffins continued their challenge into the fourth quarter, finally tying the score before Cambridge added its final three points to gain the victory. The game was played in the International gym.
The Griffins were strong and serious at the beginning of the game, and got off to a great start for them as they had no trouble breaking through the Cambridge defense. The Griffins jumped out to a 6-0 lead with two quick baskets by David Huang, who was really fighting for his team, and one by Mauricio Nostas.
But Cambridge also wanted to win this game, and the Knights were not about to fall apart. With 2;24 left to go in the first period the score was 7-7 in a game that had been pure excitement. (We need more of these games!)
Knight eighth grader Jose Ribera, who was ON FIRE in the first half, threw in a three-pointer to make the score 10-7 at the end of the quarter. Ribera had scored seven of Cambridge's ten first quarter points, with the remainder coming on a three-pointer by Daniel Kim.
Cambridge pushed its lead to 27-16 at the end of the half, as Ribera hit two more three-pointers, plus a standard two-point bucket. Cambridge athletic director Steven Hill, who was sitting in the stands, commented to those around him, "I wonder what Jose had to eat today."
Ribera's teammate Alvaro Lopez scored four in the second quarter and Tae Han Kook had two.
Huang and Nostas continued to account for the Griffins scoring.
In the second half the Griffins WOKE UP, however, and soon were catching up, pulling within four at 29-25. Cambridge's shot selection was poor, and the Big Red team was not working the ball as well as it had in the first half.
In the fourth quarter Mario Rohrman was doing an outstanding job for the Griffins, scoring four straight baskets. Rohrman was also dong a terrific job on defense, pulling down rebounds.
The Griffins evened the score at 37 all with a three-pointer by David Huang.
Both of the teams were really into the game at this point, and playing with confidence. You could see the tension in everyone's eyes as the game entered the final minutes.
Cambridge edged ahead by one point on a foul shot by Kook. An International player had a chance to tie the game or go ahead with a pair of foul shots but missed.
Finally Daniel Kim hit a two-pointer that gave the Knights their final three-point margin of victory.
All told, Ribera was the top scorer for the Knights and in the game with 22 points, the highest one-game total for any player this year. He had three three-pointers. Lopez tallied eight, Kim five (including a three pointer), Kook four, and Fabricio Suberana two.

Eagles give Jaguars a routine workover, 46-16

The Christian Learning boys varsity basketball team continued its roll toward an unbeaten season as they posted their fourth straight win with a 46-16 whipping of Cooperative in their home gym Thursday.
The outcome was never in doubt as the Eagles sprinted out to 15-2 first quarter lead, which they fattened to 21-4 at halftime.

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LOOKING FOR A WAY -- Jaguar Oliver Lederman (6) tries to find a way around Eagle Pul Estes (18).

Jung Jae Jang, Christian Learning

The victory margin was typical of the totals Christian Learning has been posting this year, but seemed to require less intensity. The Eagles seem to increasing their efficiency on offense and defense as the season rolls on.
The Jaguars played decently, but were outclassed by the Eagles in every department -- shooting, passing, defense, and rebounding.
The largest deficiency was probably shooting accuracy. The Jaguars could bring the ball down court, work the ball around until they got a good shot -- but, with rare exceptions, they missed.
The Jaguars made only four baskets from the floor in the entire game, and had a shooting percentage that must have been in single digits.
The Eagles, by contrast, were very accurate from the floor and the foul line, and got baskets from nine different players.
Paul Estes and Danny Canaviri both had nine points for the Eagles. Andre Larsen and Tim Zimmerman had eight apiece. Jeff Stabler had four. Kyle Swop, Jordan Newman, Andrew Burgin, and Josh Mojica had a two-pomt basket each.
For the Jaguars, Diego Morales had eight points, Jose Alfredo Abuawad had four, Nicolas Suarez had two and Andres Shin had two.