Varsity Basketball Championships Scoreboard

Boys Championship:


Cambridge 39, Christian Learning 28


Girls Championship


Cooperative 52, Christian Learning 22


Boys Consolation Game


Cooperative 54, International 24

Girls Consolation Game


Cambridge 29, International 19

Varsity Boys Championship Game

Knights triumph over Eagles in Thrill-Packed Contest


By Jesse Mann

            After four years of playing in the shadow of the Christian Learning basketball powerhouse, the Cambridge Knights won a championship to remember against the Eagles Tuesday afternoon in the Eagles gym.

      The contest was reminiscent of the era, not so long ago, when the two teams’ intense rivalry dominated the League, a time perhaps best remembered for the Knights’ come-from-behind one-point victory against the Eagles in 2007, engineered with four three-point shots..

     Cambridge won this time by a wider margin, 39-28, but the electric tension was much the same as in days of yore.

     Led by the towering Luis Mercado, a giant that even Eagle center Andre Larsen could not match, the Knights slowly but surely beat their opponents in a brutal battle that raged all over the court, as both teams fought each other for every inch of ground. But the Knights really showed the steel of their resolve by holding their  ground – even widening the lead -- after Mercado fouled out with 4:08 left to play and the Eagles lest than ten points down.  

      Fans, players, and even coaches screamed constantly in frustration and exultation at each other and the referees, who were always disappointing one side or the other. Amid the pandemonium, all attention centered on the unforgiving digits on the scoreboard.          

    Both teams bounded onto the court itching for action, causing league officials to herd courtside fans into the stands, fearing for their security.

     When at last the tip-off occurred, Mercado scooped it back to a teammate, and then, after getting it back, deposited it a few moments later in the Eagle net.

     After two more minutes of fierce – but scoreless – play, the match suddenly ground to a halt.      An eerie silence filled the SCCLC gymnasium as Eagle coach Keith Wilcke stopped play by standing in front of the referee with the ball screaming at him and pointing at his chest and the ball, and complaining about which ball ought to be used for play. (No one in the gym knew that at the time, and the spectacle was mystifying to the big crowd.)

     After nearly three minutes of consultation and debate, in which the Cambridge athletic director was called in, the game ball was changed to one Wilcke apparently liked better -- and Wilcke was charged with a technical that gave Cambridge two foul shots.

     Mercado, apparently untroubled by the new ball, made both shots, doubling Cambridge's score to 4-0.  

     Action resumed, and Cambridge quickly widened their lead. Andres Hurtado took control of a rebound, sending the ball down the court where Mercado dished off to Juan Carlos Paniagua, who slipped it into the Eagle net.

       Cesar Flores landed a shot from outside the key for the Eagles, but on the whole the Knights solid defense kept the Eagles at bay. Any Eagle that attempted to drive into the Cambridge key was immediately swarmed on by red Cambridge jerseys, or stopped cold by Mercado underneath the net. But before the half was over Mercado was in foul trouble, though often he just stood under the basket like an innocent bystander.

      Nevertheless, the Eagles managed to nearly even up the score by the end of the first quarter, assisted by three free throw shots they made, a fraction of the opportunities they were awarded (but better than they would do from the free throw line in the second half), plus baskets by Larsen and Flores.

           Neither team actually seemed to have a hot shooting hand in the early going, either from the floor or the foul line, but Cambridge held the lead, 10 – 7, at the end of the quarter.

            The Eagles continued their offensive efforts with more success in the second quarter.  Supported by solid work by Andre Larsen on defense, the Eagles achieved considerable momentum when Flores raced ahead of the Knights down the court, reaching the key with only Hurtado left between him and the net.

      Flores plunged forward, colliding with Hurtado and flinging the ball into the net on his way down towards the floor.

     Josiah Canaviri scored in a similar fashion a few moments later, and a long jumper from the top of the key by Larsen gave the Eagles the lead over Cambridge. Mercado quickly tied the score again, but a fantastic lay-up by Cesar Flores in the dying seconds of gave the Christian Learning boys a slim 15 – 13 lead at the half.  They had outscored Cambridge 8-3 in the second quarter.

      Eagle fans rejoiced, and Coach Victor Coronado hustled the Knights outside the gym for a serious discussion.

       Whatever he told them, it worked. When the Knights re-entered the arena, they did so with renewed confidence. Cambridge would go on to outscore the Eagles 26-11 in the second half, and allowed their rivals only four points in the third quarter, both on baskets by Wesley Ordoñez.  

     The near-stalemate in which the second half began was finally broken when Hurtado plowed through three Eagle defenders like a tank, scoring two points, and picking up a foul. He made the free throw to complete the three-point play, and this seemed to ignite a Cambridge scoring drive.

    After that Mercado found no competition underneath the net, and together with some fine shooting by Gabriel Alonso, the Knights began to pull away from the Eagles, and led 27-19 at the end of the third quarter.

     This trend continued in the fourth quarter, but all bets seemed to be off when first Paniagua, and then Mercado fouled out, leaving Cambridge without its only two tall players.

     Even so, the Eagles failed to breach the Knight's defense. A flurry of foul calls, loudly complained about by the large Cambridge contingent present,  gave the Eagles no less than twelve free throw opportunities in the second half, of which they made only one. Shot after shot bounced off the rim or missed the net altogether, spoiling a perfect opportunity to narrow the gap.

    Cambridge, by contrast, got only three foul shots in the second half, all after a player was fouled while making a successful lay-up attempt, and made all three.

    As the clock began to run down, the Eagles threw themselves at their opponent's net with increasing fervor, but their shots somehow failed to end up in the net. With a nine-point lead, 31-22, the Knights began to stall, going into four corners mode, dribbling and passing the ball around the perimeter to run down the clock.

       But when Paniagua and then Mercado fouled out, that nine-point lead began to look vulnerable, and a basket by Larsen cut it to seven.   

      At this point Hurtado, only a tenth grader but a long-time veteran of SCISL basketball wars, took it upon himself to secure the trophy for the Knights. The chunky player – and “tank” overwhelmingly suggests itself as the appropriate simile, took control of the ball and hurtled down the court, a seemingly unstoppable force, and not meeting an immovable object.  

       Four times he drove the ball to the basket at high speed, and each time the Eagle fans moaned. Twice he put the ball in the basket with an artistic flair, picking up a foul, and making the foul shot.

      Two last-minute baskets by Canaviri and Haziel Martinez could not save the Eagles, and Hurtado put the final nail in the Eagle coffin swishing in a three-point shot in the final seconds. Of Cambridge’s 12 points in the final quarter, Hurtado scored ten.

            When the buzzer sounded, the Cambridge fans spilled onto the court as the Knights celebrated their long anticipated return to stardom with a victory lap around the gym. The Eagles stayed silent in the huddle as the victorious Knights dumped water on their coach and cut down the net from one rim.

    After four long years of second- third- and fourth-place disappointment, the Knights were again number one.     The Eagles had fought hard, but were done in by Cambridge's superior defense and their own inability to make free throws.

     Now it’s time to look ahead to next year and wonder if it will see a continuation of this once-legendary rivalry.  


     (Jesse Mann is a senior at Christian Learning and managing editor of the website.) )

Varsity Girls Championship Game

Jaguars Girls finish in customary style, whip Eagles

    The Cooperative girls varsity basketball team defeated Christian learning in the championship game 52-22 played at Christian learning Tuesday.

    For a few minutes at the beginning of the game  -- ten minutes of playing time to be exact -- it looked as if it might be an interesting contest. At the end of the first quarter the Jaguars, owners of the longest winning streak in League history,  were ahead by the relatively small margin of 10-7 .

       But then all hell broke loose. In the second quarter the suddenly energized Jaguars scored 21 unanswered points to put them ahead 31-7 at half-time. And things got even worse in the third quarter as Cooperative added ten more points before Eagle junior Abby Phillips sank two free throws to break the spell.

      At that point the score was 41-9.

       The rest of the game was played, but the principal challenge facing Cooperative coach Max Farfan was probably to make sure the girls didn't get the bit in their teeth again and go for another 100-point game. (Cooperative officially apologized for winning game earlier in the year 102-4.)

       He threw in every substitute he had, and the Eagles helped by regaining their defensive composure, and scoring another 13 points.

        The game may have lacked the drama of, for instance, last year's championship contest in which Christian Learning was ahead of Cooperative by four points with five minutes to go, and eventually succumbed by a relative handful of point. However, was probably a fitting conclusion to the high school playing careers of the three cooperative seniors who have been the heart of the Jaguar team over the past four years -- Sofia Sotelo, Carla Limpias, and Ana Peredo.

        The trio has been playing together since the sixth grade, and were League champions when they were junior varsity players. As varsity players they have lost only one game (to Christian Learning in 2008) and won four League championships.

       Arguments will probably continue for years as to whether this year's team or last year's, when the Jaguar line-up also featured the tall, high-scoring Aldana Roda, was the best in League history, but this year's was unquestionably the most dominant.

       Last year's team had two close games; this year's team had none..In some ways it was lamentable that they weren't more seriously tested. That might help settle the argument.

        The Jaguar seniors led the scoring, with all three.in double figures. Limpias had 18, Sotelo 14, and Peredo 11. Giovanna Varalta, a junior, had five opoints. her younger sister, eighth grader Giuliana, had four. Junior Tania Landivar, as well as ninth graders Geraldine Lopez and Jessica Maureira also played.

        Rebekah Kienzle, a ninth grader, had ten points for Christian Learning. Phillips had seven, DaHye Chun and Maria Anderson two apiece, and Naomi Canavari one.

     Also playing for Christian Lerning were Haven Lee, Leah Kerney,Samia Dajbura, HyeRim Ryu, Sandi Wilcke, Javiera Alipaz, DaEun Chun, and Emily Ordoñez. All of those players, except DaHye Chun will be back next year, indicating the possibility that 2013 could see a return to parity, at least between these two schools.

Varsity Girls Consolation Game

Knights' second half surge brings win over Griffins

By Laura Guillen

      The Cambridge girls varsity basketball team took the bronze medals after winning their consolation game against International Tuesday afternoon at the Christian Learning gym. The Lady Knights won 29 to 19 in the game for third place.

      The game began smoothly enough, but between these two teams it never takes long until there is some kind of trouble brewing over some largely peripheral issue. Once, in a scandal that became known as “Stripegate," it was whether certain players had proper stripes on the shorts. Another time it was the fact that two International players, in an obvious attempt to deceive and distract, wore the same number – and, more horrible to say, were wearing verboten numbers – 1, 2, 3.

       

       (This rule, if anybody really cares, is to reduce confusion. The one finger signal (index, not middle) is reserved for the referee’s hand signal for “one foul shot.” Two fingers are for two foul shots, and three fingers denote that shot was worth three points. All the other fingers are reserved for signaling the number of the player who committed the foul.)

       Sure enough, halfway through the first quarter a technical time out is called. This issue this time is somewhat more basic . . . the ball. It seemed that though rules say coaches were to agree on whose ball to play with, they had failed to reach a true agreement in this case.

      Referees were left to sort it out while both coaches argued as only they know how, looking almost childish when they weren’t getting their way. It wasn´t disclosed to the audience what, if anything, had been wrong with the original ball.  

       Finally a mutually acceptable ball was found among the dozens in and around the court, and once back on track again, the spotlight finally shifted back to the players on the court, who seemed to be clumsier than usual (The new ball perhaps?).  Both Knights and Griffins had apparent memory losses as to how to pass the ball or make a decent shot, and regained their skills only slowly.

       By the second quarter both teams got their heads straight and Griffins even went from being three points behind, 10-7, to matching the Knights’ score and then taking a one point lead, 14-13, come halftime.

The players got a couple of minutes to take a quick breath and rest up some – and then they were back at it. The thing about girls basketball, especially among the lesser teams, is that they  always mean big clusters of player  as they all running  for the ball, and then numerous knock-down, drag-out fights of pulls and tugs over the ball whenever slippery fingers or blind determination seize power.

       At one point during the match, Knight Nicole Fermin even crawled after a ball that had somehow gotten away and was rolling out of bounds  until she heard the laughter of her mother from the stands, and realized the sometimes a lost cause is a lost cause, Sorry Nicole, it’s just gone!

Moving on into the third quarter, Knights seemed to revive, and made a fierce comeback to regain the lead. The Griffins are not able to score a single point in the whole ten minutes of playing time, while the Knights easily scored eight.

      Uncharacteristically ,  Knight Mako Ueno wasn’t getting the ball into the basket when she has free throws, or  the margin  would have been wider, but teammate Anaya Yates  made up for this by sinking the ball almost every time she got a free throw opportunity, accounting for four of Cambridge’s points in the quarter. 

      Griffins JV players Camila Barrientos, Olivia Navarro, ND Pamela Hernandez, who starred in Monday’s JV game, made impressive contributions to the varsity team.  They show the future of the International team. Hopefully by the time they are varsity-age players in two years they will have some solid support to work with.

      The fourth and final quarter raises the question of whether the Griffins can catch up, but the answer is no. Lady Knight Fermin has turned on her basket magnetism, and tallied three straight baskets, the most artistic being a jump shot from some distance out. These six points more or less puts the game on ice.

      Nervous jitters still made the players get clumsy, and lose the ball more easily than usual, but the teams battle t out nonetheless.  Referees certainly didn’t make things easier, and seemed a little harsh on the players.

      Approaching the end, with only seconds to go, the scoreboard reads 29-18. Though everyone assumed that’s how it would end, with only one second left on the clock a foul on Navarro allowed the Griffins to shave the Cambridge victory margin by one point, to a nice round 10 point difference.

        This leaves the spectators with one remaining question: What the heck was wrong with the original ball? But it no longer really matters. 

       (Laura Guillen is a senior at Cambridge and managing editor of the website for that school.). . . .

Varsity Boys Consolation Game

After slow start, Jags zoom past Griffins

By Jose Aldana

            The Cooperative boys' varsity basketball team won the playoff consolation game, thus claiming the third place in the League, by overpowering the Griffins by 54-24 in a game played at Christian Learning's gym on Tuesday.

         The Jaguars successfully dominated every aspect of the game from the start to finish, though both teams got off to a slow start, fighting for ball possession and striving to claim control of the game. Nevertheless, Milan Marinkovic, Jaguars' prominent center, led his team into the lead scoring 6 points.

            Marinkovic's teammate, Nicolas Suarez, was another headliner, creating space for him to accurately score 5 points, including a keen three-pointer. The Griffins' defensive system was no match for the dynamic combination of Marinkovic and Suarez.

           By the end of the first quarter the Jaguars had established a comfortable lead of 11-2.

            In the second quarter, the Griffins made a last ditch effort to quash Jaguar dominance. Guided by an unflagging Juan Sebastian Velasco, the Griffins worked through offensive sets, moving the ball rapidly and well, and spreading the scoring across the team.  But they couldn’t shoot well consistently.

            As they struggled to control Griffins' more daring offenses, Jaguars committed a series of technical fouls, which granted valuable free throws that were effectively scored by Griffins Velasco and Raul Valle.

But at the same time the Jaguars were continuing their offensive pressure.

            Dribbling up the court with his high dribble almost challenging the defenders to take the ball away from him, Marinkovic drove and repeatedly managed to find his way to the hoop scoring. Also contributing were Eduardo Ustarez and Josue Abuawad, who made a basket.

            At halftime the Jaguars led by 19-11.

            The opening of the third quarter belonged to the Jaguars and, proved to be important minutes of the game.  Marinkovic continued to be simply unstoppable. Through his quick hustle, fluid handling of the ball and outstanding driving skills, he himself managed to surpass every opponent standing in his way. .

To the dismay of the Griffins, Andres Shin, who up until halftime had turned in an unspectacular performance, earned his place on the offensive side, causing all types of havoc to the Griffin’s backcourt.

            On the other hand, the Griffins were not willing to throw the towel. They never gave up and continue to fight. Juan Sebastian Velasco’s unwavering commitment to his team make him the pivotal part of all phases of the Griffins play, bringing the ball down, getting the offense going, and scoring nine points. Raul Valle also managed to score a valuable jumper.

            However, by the end of the third quarter, the Jaguars had widened their lead to 14 points, leading their opponents, 34-20.

           A slow start in the fourth quartered hampered Griffins’ hopes of a comeback. The Jaguars’ trio of Milan Marinkovic, Andres Shin and Nicolas Suarez continued to command of the action, making life for the Griffin’s defense a living hell. In the quarter Marinkovic had 10 points, Shin 8, and Suarez 2.

       Velasco and Daniel Hanley continued to fight and managed to score two points each, but the Griffins never came close to closing the deficit.

            The final buzzer sounded signaling the end of the game and concretizing a deserved victory for the Jaguars by 54-24, as they fraternally celebrated their status as third place finishers.     

          (Jose Aldana is a junior at Christian Learning and a staff writer for the website.)

JV Boys Basketball Championship

Knights Outlast Eagles 31-25 for 1st Place
 By Javiera Alipaz


     The JV Eagles competed against the Cambridge Knights in the championship game at the Eagle gym on Monday. Both teams displayed admirable teamwork and meritorious skill, although the Cambridge Knights crafted their way into first place. 

     The Eagle gym was full of spectators filled with wonder of what was sure to be a rough game. Both Eagle and Cambridge fans alike were crammed into the best seats in order to be able to witness the spectacle that was about to unfold. 

     The game started awry for the Eagles, as the tip off was in favor of the Knights, thanks to Knight Percy Vidal. From then on, the whole first quarter was a shooting spree for the Knights; making baskets left and right. With only one minute and a half left in the first quarter, the Knights were already up 16-0. Only did a single free throw by Eagle Regan Janzen, alter the score. The first quarter then ended 16-1.

     The second quarter began with a throw in by Eagle Luke Phillips to teammate Brian Lara. Just seconds later, Janzen scored again- only to be then counteracted by Knight Santiago Hurtado’s basket. Almost immediately after, Phillips scored a basket of his own- setting the score 18-5. The second quarter ended 20-8, with Knight Nando Boller adding two points for his team and Phillips and Janzen tallying another point and two more points for their team, respectively. 

     Only a minute into the game, the Eagles had already been fouled twice, but would only manage a lone point from their four free throws. Knight Horacio Morales contributed with 3 points for his team in this quarter, while teammate Nando Boller supplied his team with 2 more points of his own. For the Eagles, Janzen and Phillips added a free throw each. Teammate Brian Lara then enriched his team’s score with 4 more points to call his own- leaving the final score for the third quarter at 27-14.

     The final quarter began with a point by Lara, which was closely followed by two free throws: one by Knight Percy Vidal and the other by Eagle Regan Janzen. Three minutes of passes and plays followed with a static scoreboard. With exactly 3 minutes and forty-five seconds left on the clock, the score was 28-18. In the short amount of time that followed, Vidal, Lara and Janzen all managed to score a free throw each. Phillips scored 4 points, and Janzen tallied up 2 more points, with the final score reading 31-25.

     The Cambridge Knights now enjoy their title as champions of the Junior Varsity division of the SCISL league. Though both teams loose key players as they move on to their respective varsity teams, the younger players will prove to be promising in the years to come. The Eagles tasted what it was like playing without their eight grader Claudio Sandoval, due to the fact that he was ineligible to play in the final game, though seventh grader Brian Lara managed to step up to the plate. For now, the Knights should be delighted about their triumph- simply enjoying it without worrying about the seasons to come.


Jaguars Triumph Over Outmatched Griffins for 3rd, 42-2
By Trevor Reed


     The Cooperative JV boys basketball team overwhelmed their opponents on Monday, dominating the Griffins in every aspect of the game and winning decisively 42-2. Although the overall play for both teams was a bit sloppy and unpolished, the Jaguars succeeded where it really counts, gaining third place medals for their efforts.


     From the very beginning, the Jaguars had a major height advantage over the Griffins, although the Griffins did have more players suited up and eager to play. The height advantage proved to be more valuable, however, as the Jaguars dominated in rebounding for the entire first quarter. The overall shooting and dribbling from both teams was poor, but Cooperative did have the upper hand in nearly all areas of play. Jaguar Raul Valle scored over half of the points for his team, who gained a 12-1 lead by the end of the first quarter.


     Jaguar dominance continued into the next quarter as the Jaguars continued to dominate in rebounds, which left the Griffins with very few options. The Griffins did have many shooting opportunities of their own, but most of them were from far away from the basket, and despite a few very close shots, they were not able to score on any in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Jaguar trio of Valle, Eduardo Ustarez, and Rodrigo Chavez continued to drive up the score for their team. Despite the fairly high volume of points scored by the Jaguars, their shooting accuracy was actually extremely poor, but luckily they made up for it with the sheer number of shots taken. At halftime the score stood at 26-1.


     In the second half, the Jaguars appeared to have improved slightly on accuracy, scoring on their first two shots, but this did not last long. Surprisingly, the Griffins stayed enthusiastic and even improved their defense in the third quarter. The Jaguars still managed to score ten points, and the game headed into the final quarter with the score at 36-1.


     One of the highlights of the fourth quarter was Griffin player Jaime Barrenechea who, despite his small size, continued to fight for every loose ball and open rebound. In fact, his determined playing style led to multiple steals from the Jaguar dribblers, but the Griffins were unable to convert these steals into points. Barrenechea did manage to score a free throw after he was fouled, but then the Jaguars proceeded to score six more points, cementing their status as the third place finishers with a final score of 42-2.

JV Girls Basketball Championship

Eagles Win the Championship Over Jaguars, 41-6
By Jesse Mann

     The JV girl Eagles demolished their final opponents in their home gym on Monday to claim a championship trophy and complete a perfect season. Urged on by an enthusiastic crowd that packed the stands, the Eagles fought the Jaguars fiercely for ball possession and managed to take advantage of many scoring opportunities beneath the Cooperative net. Ironically, the Jaguars appeared quite confident before the golden game, perhaps never dreaming that the Eagles would keep them scoreless for the entire first half.

     Led by Rebecca Escudero and Maria Anderson, the Eagles dominated the scoreboard during the first half, creating a 17 – 0 lead that owed its existence to relentless Eagle offensive efforts and terrible shooting accuracy by the Jaguars. The smiles worn by the Cooperative girls before the game quickly turned to frowns of frustration as the Eagles steadily increased their lead. Despite an impressive basket by Isabella Peña at the start of the third quarter, the Jaguars could not stop the Eagle onslaught. Again and again they would recklessly wrestle the ball into the Eagle key, only to throw it uselessly into the air. After Peña's basket, the Jaguars managed to score only twice more in the game. The Eagles, on the other hand, kept bypassing the Cooperative defense and confidently depositing the ball in the hoop. By the time the final whistle blew, the Jaguars were more than ready to admit defeat.

     The SCCLC home crowd cheered lustily as the Eagles ecstatically hoisted their trophy, concluding a nearly flawless season. In eight games, the JV girls had never let a team score more than eight points against them, and they in turn had never scored less then twenty. A long-time Eagles fan noted before the game: "This is the most dominant girl JV team I've seen in my five years as a fan in this league." And dominate the Eagles did, defeating the Jaguars 41 – 6. 

Griffins Defeat Knights 20-2, Finish 3rd

By David Boldt

      The International JV girls won the playoff consolation game and bragging rights to third place in the League by defeating Cambridge for the third time this season, 20-2 at Christian learning’s gym Monday afternoon.

     The game was never close as the Griffins took command right from the opening jump ball, running up an 11-2 lead in the first quarter and more or less coasting in from there. The Little Knights got their lone basket in the first quarter, avoiding a shutout, but were held scoreless for the rest of the game.

      The core of the Griffin team was a quintet of skilled seventh graders who have all had a lot of playing time on the varsity this season – Maria Eugenia Zelada, Olivia Navarro, Camila Barrientos, Pamela Hernandez and Manuela Reyes. The fought hard for every loose ball, and rarely gave the Cambridge players the chance to take aim before shooting. 

      Zelada was the high scorer for the Griffins with seven points, and right behind her was Navarro, who posted six, and impressed the spectators with her rapid and agile dribbling, going as easily to her right as to her left, often leaving defenders in the dust.

       Barrientos, who like Navarro made up in speed and maneuverability for her lack of height, had three points, while Hernandez and Reyes had two points each.

      Ariana Vidal tallied Cambridge’s only basket.    

Varsity Basketball Playoff Semifinals Scoreboard

Boys:


Cambridge 76, Cooperative 33


Christian Learning 63, International 16


Girls


Cooperative 62, International 8


Christian Learning 25, Cambridge 20

Boys Varsity Semifinals

Knights avenge lone loss, beat Jags 76-33

By Laura Guillen
             The Cooperative Jaguars boys basketball team managed to find their way to the Cambridge gym Thursday afternoon for the Varsity semi-finals – they had been no-shows at the previous game scheduled between the two teams  -- but the  Knights claimed victory by scoring more than double the Jaguars,  76 to 33.

      It was sweet revenge for the Knights, who lost to the Jaguars 42-40 in the first meeting between the two teams at the Jaguar gym. In that game the Knights were playing without their center, Luis Mercado, or their best defensive player, Gabriel Alonso.

      The Knights started out strong, and kept going.  After baskets by Gustavo Roca and Mercado, Andres Hurtado seemed to really set his team off as he took a chance, stole the ball, drove to the basket, made it, and was fouled in the process. He made the free throw to complete a three-point play.

       Spectators present had been looking forward to seeing how Milan Marinkovic, the Jaguars big senior center (and recent track and field record setter), would match up against the Knights even bigger ninth grader Mercado, and it soon became apparent that Mercado was simply too . . . . tall!  

      Marinkovic had run amok in the first Jaguar-Cambridge game, scoring 32 of Cooperative’s 42 points. He got some baskets on some fine plays in this game, but was held to 17 points, while Mercado tallied 25, several on artful fade-away jump shots that no one this side of the NBA could have stopped.    

      Further into the game it was seen that, although they forfeited a couple of games and had probably missed some training time, the Jaguars sure can make some well execute plays, but their efforts were not enough to stall the Knights, who kept scoring ferociously.

      Almost at the end of the first half, Knights were still on fire. At one point Juan Carlos Paniagua made a shot that didn’t make it, but teammate Mercado got in fast to catch the rebound and make the put-back. This happened time after time.

       Sometimes it took Mercado several tries – he seemed to have more trouble with the easy shots than the hard ones – to get the ball in the hoop, but these were entertaining moments for the Knight fans as no Jaguar seemed to be able to stop him.

     The teams left the floor at halftime with the score 43 to 15 for Cambridge, a 28-point advantage.   Though it was obvious that Jaguars would be unlikely to catch up to their opponents, they made a great effort to close down the difference in the third quarter -- with very little success. The Knights widened their margin by two, to 30 points.

      While the Cambridge team took advantage of every chance they had, and they had plenty, to steal the ball, or get a rebound shot, the Jaguar team didn’t seize such opportunities quite as well when they had them.  

      By the final quarter, Jaguars were far behind and would be ever farther as Knights replenished their spirit to make another 21 points, while holding the Jaguars to eight.   There was one occasion that seemed to capture the essence of the game – Cambridge’s success and Cooperative’s frustration.

      Mercado got another of his multiple chances to score, out- jumping Marinkovic to pull down several rebounds. When the ball finally went in Marinkovic jumped up as if trying to push it back out again. Late reflex or pure despair? Who could say.

        Halfway through the fourth quarter, junior varsity Knights Masa Ueno, Santiago Hurtado and Nando Boller took over the game and showed everyone that Cambridge Knights will continue to be a power when the current varsity starters graduate (which, by the way, won’t be for several years in most cases).

       Cambridge fans were proud to see the JV’s play against the varsity Jaguars and cheered even more enthusiastically than they had for the starters when the younger Hurtado swished in a two-handed hook shot, and Biller hit on a long set shot from the right-hand side.  

      Still the Jaguars never gave up. When the buzzer went off, Jaguar senior Nicolas Suarez was streaking for the basket. It wouldn’t have made much difference, though. The game ended with the scoreboard showing Cambridge on top 76 to 33.

      

               For the Knights, Luis Mercado had 25 points; Gustavo Roca and Andres Hurtado had 15 points each. (Hurtado's total included a three-pointer.) Juan Carlos Paniagua had 11, Gabriel Alonso 4, while Nando Boller, Santiago Hurtado, and Paul Blades each had two.

   
        For the Jaguars, Milan Marinkovic had 17, Giorgio Rodrigamo had eight, while Andres Shin and Nicolas Suarez had four each.

      Cambridge Knights achieved victory yet again – they are now 6-1 on the season -- but will they be able to claim it again in the championship against the Christian Learning Eagles as they compete for the gold medals Tuesday at Cambridge Learning?

      Some things can be predicted with certainty:  The stands will be packed and the noise will be amazing. It will be basketball the way it is supposed to be. 

      (Laura Guillen is a senior at Cambridge and managing editor of the website for that school.) 

Eagles Overpower Griffins and Advance to Finals

By Jesse Mann

      The Eagles successfully advanced to the championship game the varsity basketball playoffs with a 63-16 win against the Griffins, playing  an energetic, fast-paced game that was enjoyed by both teams Thursday at Christian Learning.

    SCCLC starters Josiah Canviri, Haziel Martinez, Wesley Ordoñez, and Cesar Flores established an unbeatable 16-point lead by the end of the first quarter, firmly taking control of the  ball and driving aggressively past International's defense.

      Although clearly outmatched by the dynamic Eagles, the Griffins put up a good fight and competed fiercely with their foes for ball possession. Daniel Hanley defiantly dribbled down the court three minutes into the match, slipping behind the Eagle defense and scoring two points for International off a smooth lay-up.

       But the Griffins simply could not stop the offensive advances of the Eagles, and soon resorted to launching long passes down the court in an attempt to catch the Eagle defense off guard. The Eagles responded in kind, and soon the game became a high-speed dodge ball competition as members from both teams began to intercept passes in mid-air.

    The ball flew quickly from one end of the court to the other as the players fought for possession. At one point a ball streaked out of bounds and narrowly missed the scorekeeper. Game play (as well as scoring) slowed down considerably in the second quarter, as the Eagle bench swarmed onto the floor.

      Despite a large number of turnovers, the Eagles maintained their lead, with eighth grader Luke Phillips scoring four baskets during the quarter and Griffin Arturo Barrientos scoring one.

      The Eagle starters resumed their work after the halftime intermission,, and the game picked up again, though not as lively as in the first quarter. The Griffin's spirits were revived somewhat when Erik Takayama scored two three pointers in a row, putting SCIS into double digits with ten points.

      But ultimately the Griffins fell victim to the ruthless efficiency of  Canaviri,  Flores, and  Ordoñez, who made good use of teamwork to drive the score up. Canaviri and Flores each scored twelve points, and Ordoñez made ten.

       The Griffins only managed two more baskets, one by Sergio Rojas and the another by Daniel Hanely. Eagle superstar Andre Larsen, suffering from a hurt wrist, scored eight points that contributed to the final score of 63-14.

     On the whole,  The Eagles played very well, but free throw percentage is a handicap that could potentially ruin them. The team made only fifteen percent of their free throws, hitting  three and missing twenty. Despite this potential Achilles heel, there is no doubt in this reporter's mind that next week's final game against Cambridge will be legendary.

     (Jesse Mann is a senior at Christian Learning and managing editor of the website.) 

Girls Varsity Semifinals

Cooperative handles Griffins with ease, 62-8

       The Cooperative girls varsity basketball team moved one step closer to its fourth consecutive championship, and third consecutive undefeated season as it defeated International decisively, 62-8, in a playoff semi-final game played at Cambridge Thursday.

       

       The game was never close, though International played with energy and enthusiasm the entire way, and the Jaguars played a line-up that featured their younger players.

          Cooperative executed with precision from the start, taking a 14-2 lead in the first quarter, a period that, from Cooperative’s view was marred only by a well executed back door lay-up by International seventh grader Pamela Hernandez. By half-time the Jaguars were ahead 28-7.

         International seemed to be playing the game to build a team for the future, with five seventh graders dressed for the game – virtually the entire starting junior varsity team. The rest of the squad consisted of three eleventh-graders and a ninth grader.

        And the seventh graders held up well under the competitive pressure, particularly Hernandez, who scored half of International’s points, Camila Barrientos picked up two more points. Olivia Navarro, who shared with Barrientos the distinction of being the shortest players on the floor, dribbled brilliantly, and stole the ball several times.

       Eleventh-grader Natalia Johnson tallied the other International basket.

      But the future doesn’t look all that dark for the Jaguars, about half of whose points – 30 to be exact -- were scored by the Varalta sisters, Giovanna and Giuliana. Giovanna, a tenth grader, had 20, many of them on breakaways after she stole the ball from the Griffin offense. Her younger sister, Giuliana, an eighth grader, had ten.

       While not figuring as prominently in the scoring, the Jaguars also got solid play from ninth graders Jessica Maureira, who scored a free throw, and Geraldine Lopez. The only senior who played virtually the entire game was Sofia Sotelo, who had nine points. The other senior who played, Carla Limpias, was the high scorer with 22 points, even though she sat out the entire second quarter.

     Limpias made her presence felt as soon as she returned to action in the second half, scoring 11 of Cooperative’s 18 third quarter points, and playing a key defensive role in holding International to a single free throw for the rest of the game. Not seeing action was Ana Peredo, who normally forms with Limpias Cooperative’s tall and intimidating “back wall.” Peredo was at the game, but didn’t dress because of an injured toe.

      Next Tuesday the Jaguars will play Christian Learning in the championship game at Christian Learning.  International will play Cambridge in the consolation game for third place.       

Eagles last quarter surge beats Knights, 25-20


By Jose Aldana

            The intrepid Cambridge Knights visited Christian Learning Eagles on Thursday determined to battle their way into the championship finals with an upset victory, and for three quarters it looked like they would. However, the Eagles, with the succor of energetic cheers from their home fans, successfully overcame their rivals in a breathtakingly close contest, 25-20.

           The determination and devotion displayed by both teams marked the beginning of the game. The Eagles and Knights were constantly hustling for loose balls, following their shots, moving the ball very well, and playing great defense. Innumerable chances to score were generated, but few were concretized into points.

         The Eagles, led by Javiera Alípaz and Rebekah Kienzle, successfully scored the first points of the game. The unintimidated Knights remained confident and were soon able to balance out the action. By the end of the quarter, the Eagles and Knights were tied at 6-6.

            In the second quarter, the home team continued playing with the same intensity.  Eagle superstar, Abby Phillips, confidently took charge of the ball and displayed outstanding dribbling skill. She penetrated the Knights' defense and secured a small lead for the home team.

       Seeing the offensive posture adopted by the Eagles, the Knights' coach commanded his players to maintain a strong defense, but also pass the ball more efficiently, and his instructions proved to be immediately effective. The Knights gained momentum and were constantly representing a serious threat to the Eagles' defense.

       In the effort of blocking Knights' quick passing, the Eagles committed various fouls entitling the Knights to a series of free throws, which Knight Nicole Fermin exploited.  At halftime, Knights led by 9-8. 

            The Eagles and Knights came out for the second half with the same energy they had displayed throughout the first half making everyone have to work hard for each and every one of their points.

           Abby Phillips, decisive as she has been throughout the season, assumed her role of protagonist commanding her teammates to attack.  However, the dynamic combination of Nicole Fermin and Josefina Rodriguez enabled the Knights to make a quick recovery.

      In the last seconds of the third quarter, Abby Phillips received the ball and quickly moved toward the Knights’ basket, passing every opponent that stood on her way, and scored moments before the buzzer sounded signaling the end of the quarter. A cheer burst into a vibrant celebration as the home team reassumed the lead, 14-13. 

         

        The Knights made their presence felt as soon as the fourth quarter got underway. The combination of Nicole Fermin and Rodriguez tormented Eagles' defense once again. They masterfully managed to score valuable free throws, which turned the advantage to the visiting team.

     

         But another phenomenon was at work: Fatigue. The Knights had only five players in uniform for the game. Star Mako Ueno was present, but in street clothes due to an injury. Gradually they were wearing out. “We were tired,” Fermin said after the game, “and it seemed like they kept substituting fresh players a few at a time.”

      

       Encouraged by the cheers from the crowd, in which Cambridge fans were vastly outnumbered in part because most were at the boys varsity game back in their home gym, the Eagles managed to regain control of ball possession. Maria Anderson and Abby Phillips led the Eagles in scoring the ultimate, decisive points.

     

       The Eagles took the lead by 19-17 and never looked back. Working the ball down court with quick passes, while strong defensive work kept the Knights off balance, holding them to three points in the quarter, the Eagles managed to extend their lead. Naomi Canaviri and Emily Ordoñez contributed with two points each, extending the Eagles victory margin to five, 25-20.

          

        Made ecstatic by the spectacle, the crowd cheerfully praised the promotion of the home team to the finals, but also recognized the effort and skill displayed by the Knights, who were never willing to give up and fought to the last second.

     

         The Eagles have a tough challenge as they face the undefeated Jaguars in the awaited championship finals at Christian Learning. Cambridge will play International in the consolation game for third place. 

      . (Jose Aladana is a junior at Christian Learning and a staff writer for the website.). .

JV Boys Basketball Semifinals

Little Knights beat Griffins handily, 61-7

    The Cambridge junior varsity boys basketball team easily dispatched International, 61-7, in the semifinal contest played Tuesday at the Cambridge gym, though International kept fighting until the end.

     The bigger, older, more experienced, and better skilled Knights moved quickly to a 23-2 lead in the first quarter, and added 18 unanswered points in the second quarter to make the score 41-2 at halftime.

     The Knights eased up on both their offensive and defensive pressure in the second half as they substituted freely, as did International. Both teams used all ten of the players they had dressed for the game. Cambridge added 20 points in the last two quarters, while holding the Griffins to five, four in the final quarter.

      Considering that the last time the two teams met Cambridge had won 100-4, this game represented progress for the Griffins of a sort, and one had to admire the way the team from International continued to fight right up until the end.

     The fact that they had ten players suited up for the game was a tribute to the way their coach, Reyes Gil, has apparently managed to maintain morale and discipline on a team that has had to absorb some terrible poundings this year by all three of its League opponents.

    At the same time one had to admire the defensive intensity and offensive coordination -- not to mention the shooting accuracy -- of the Knights, who exploited any mistake made by the Griffins, while often rescuing themselves from their own miscues, and even turning them to advantage.

     The Knights were particularly adept at stealing passes, seeming to sense where the Griffins would throw the ball next. By the end of the game the Griffins were resorting, on in-bounds passes, to what would be called “Hail Mary passes” in North American football.

      You could almost hear the play-by-play: “He’s fading back, looking to throw . . .  He has a man open at the 20-yard line . . . , but . . . IT’S INTERCEPTED.”

      One hopes that the young Griffin team is undergoing a learning experience and will emerge stronger in future years, able to move competition in the League back more toward competitive parity. They don’t lack spirit.

     For the Knights,  Horacio Cespedes had 20, Masayoshi Ueno 15, Nando Boller and Santiago Hurtado nine each, Daniel Cortez six, and Christopher Cespedes two.

     For the Griffins, Leonardo Melgar  Melgar had four, and Jesus Ojeda three.

Eagles Barely Squeeze Past Jaguars, 32-30

By Javiera Alipaz

     The SCCLC JV boys basketball team once again managed to come out on top against the Cooperative JV boys. Both teams played with an excellent display of talent and promising abilities that will most likely lead them into the varsity teams of their respective schools.

     The first quarter proved to be the start of what would be a fast paced game- evenly fought the whole way through. With the ball being dribbled and passed throughout the court constantly, the defense on both teams proved to be well put. Half way through the first quarter the score was still tied at 0-0. Jaguar Raul Valle surely didn’t like the look of things and decided to shake up Eagle fans with a free throw that left the score 0-1. Two minutes later, Valle was fouled once again and managed to score both of his free throws, granting the lead to his team- 0-3. Eagle Regan Janzen, the match’s superstar, scored a basket of his own- only to be followed by another Jaguar basket by Eduardo Ustarez. The first quarter then ended with a score of 2-5, in favour of the Jaguars.

     The second quarter started with a throw in by Eagle Claudio Sandoval to his teammate Andres Cruz. Janzen then gifted his team with another shot- moving the score up to 4-5. The Jaguars fought hard, and dominated with another basket and one free throw, though they were immediately counteracted with another shot by Janzen. However, Jaguar Rodrigo Chavez concluded the first half of the second quarter with another basket, positioning the score with a four point lead for the Jaguars. During the last 4 minutes of the second quarter, Eagle Abraham Lopez attained 3 points for his team, and Janzen 2 more- settling the score for the 1st half at 11-10.

     With the Eagles being only one point ahead at the start of the 2nd half, the tension could be felt- not only among the players, but amidst the spectators as well. The third quarter began with Jaguar Luis Peredo eloquently passing the ball to his teammate Raul Valle. One minute into the game, Eagle Brian Lara added another point to the scoreboard for his team. Three minutes of intense play passed and the scoreboard was static until Eduardo Ustarez scored a free throw moving the score up to 13-11, still in favour of the Eagles. Not even 15 seconds had passed when Eagle Luke Phillips gained control of the ball and passed it up to Sandoval, who then constructed an impressive shot. In the following two minutes, Ustarez piloted his way through the Eagle defense, adding a layup to his repertoire. The layup by Ustarez was closely followed by another point by Janzen, leaving the score at 17-13 with 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. In these final 4 minutes, the Eagles amounted 2 points by Phillips, while the Jaguars handled the ball into their basket with four more points, two by Rodrigo Chavez and two by Eduardo Ustarez.

     The Eagle gym was filled with an anxious audience awaiting an emotion filled fourth quarter. In the first minute, Eagle Claudio Sandoval had already succeeded in snatching up another basket, however Jaguar Raul Valle also brought up his team’s score by one more point because of a free throw. The scoreboard read 21- 18, the Eagles only having a three point lead on the mighty Jaguars. More fast-paced passes and undeniable talent on display went on in the Eagle gym as a pass by Eagle Regan Janzen to teammate Claudio Sandoval granted the Eagles a wider lead because of Sandoval’s shot. Valle then amassed another 4 points, granting his team a glint of faith of finally beating the Eagles. With only 6 minutes left, the coaches’ called a time out. Only nine seconds later did Ustarez acquire another basket for his team, bestowing the one point lead to the Cooperative Jaguars. Twenty seconds later, Eagle Regan Janzen tied the score 24-24 with a free throw. Luke Phillips, an Eagle superstar who was particularly absent during this game, managed to score 4 points in a row moving the score up to 28-24. In the short span of a little less than two minutes, the score was altered by four Jaguar points that had the Eagle audience in despair- the Eagle lead was now void, as the score was tied 28-28. 

     Thirty-eight seconds were left in the final quarter of the JV boys semi final when there was another time out. Anxiety, desperation, dismay and trepidation were all common symptoms of any bystander that happened to be watching this evenly faced match. With twenty-one seconds left, Phillips carried out an outstanding free throw in which the crowd exploded and cheered on. To their disgrace, they did not know that, with only twelve seconds left, the Jaguars would then score once again- gaining a one point lead. Disappointment and sorrow read all over the Eagle fans, while triumph and victory were smudged onto the Jaguar’s faces.

     With only 4 seconds left in the whole game, Phillips got himself fouled, thus being granted 2 free throws. The dread and horror were to be seen all over. Jaguar fans were worried about Phillips scoring, while the Eagles were in distress due to the fact that Phillips might not score. But Phillips did score. Twice. By making the first free throw the crowd burst into applause, knowing that the score was now tied 30-30- but then fearing the possibility of over time, just as the previous game these two teams had played. Phillips actually then missed the 2nd free throw, granting only more excitement as he then rebounded his own shot just as the buzzer sounded, leading the JV Eagles to the final game on Monday.