STOP THAT LITTLE GUY -- Pint-sized Griffin star Danny Hanley (6) gets a step ahead of Knight Paul Blades (10). Julia Boldt, Cambridge
Knight JV overwhelms Griffins 52-6
The undefeated Cambridge junior varsity boys basketball team turned in a polished performance in winning its semifinal game against International 52-6 in their home gym Tuesday afternoon.
The Knights will now play Christian Learning in the championship game Thursday at Christian Learning. (See full tournament schedule at right.)
Cambridge jumped out to a 15-0 lead in the first quarter based on sharp shooting, adroit ball-handling, and agile defense.
They then played under wraps for the next two quarters, during which all the substitutes on both teams got plenty of playing time. But still the Cambridge lead expanded, reaching 22-1 at the half.
The Knights could seemingly do no wrong. In the second half, diminutive fifth grader Nando Boller, the smallest player on the court save one and getting a rare opportunity to play, hit for two quick baskets in a row. By the end of the third quarter Cambridge had extended its lead to 28-3.
Midway through the final quarter the Cambridge starters were allowed back into the game, apparently with instructions to shoot only from outside the three-point line.
If this was intended as a device to avoid running up the score, it didn't work. Cambridge hit six three-pointers in the final minutes, by three different players. Its lead exploded, ultimately reaching 52-6.
Gabriel Alonso led the Cambridge scoring with 18 points. Jose Luis Rivero had 13, Andres Hurtado 11. Juan Carlos Paniagua and Nando Boller each had four, and Gustavo Roca two. Rivero and Hurtado each had three three-pointers in the game; Alonso had two. Cambridge's eight three-pointers were almost certainly a record for the shadowy Cambridge gym, usually considered a nightmare for outside shooters.
Danny Hanley turned in another plucky performance for the Griffins, garnering four points. Alexander Forbes and Jose Colomo each had a point.
Little Eagles defeat Jaguars, 42-13
The Christian Learning boys junior varsity basketball team easily passed its semi-final test against Cooperative, winning 42-13 in their home gym Tuesday. The Eagles now advance to the championship game against Cambridge Thursday, again in the Christian Learning gym. (See schedule at right.)
The Eagles led 10-0 after the first quarter and 17-7 at the half. They then broke the game wide open with 13 unanswered points in the third quarter.
Cesar Flores led the scoring for Christian Learning with 13 points, followed by Josiah Canaviri with nine, Haziel Martinez with eight, Esteban de Sosa with six, Richard Enns with four, and Luke Phillips with two.
One key to the Eagle victory was that the Eagles held Cooperative's Josue Abuawad to two points, well below his accustomed scoring total. Abuawad was more of a factor on defense, deflecting Eagle shots and grabbing rebounds, thereby cutting the Eagle point total by 15 or more points.
Seventh grader Luis Peredo led the Jaguar scorers with three points on a three-pointer to start the Jaguars' scoring in the second quarter. Rodrigo Adriazola, Alkejandro Rosas, Fernando Antelo, and Giorgio Rodrigano each scored two points for the Jaguars.
Keith Wilcke of Christian Learning and Alvaro Ludueña of Cooperative provided the information for this report.
