Cambridge pulls away in second half, wins 47-30
By Laura Guillen
The game was what everyone was waiting for, the two rival teams, the Cambridge and Christian Learning boys’ varsity basketball teams, both a full strength, playing to decide the league lead.
Though it proved a mighty battle, Cambridge Knights were there to make a statement, and left the court with the scoreboard showing a 47-30 Cambridge victory.
The game was played on Knight territory, and started with both teams scoring evenly and setting a mood of excitement as both Cambridge and Christian Learning spectators showed their enthusiasm. Knight Luis Mercado proved to be a key player as he scored nine points in the first quarter, which ended with the Knights up 11-10.
Though it was expected that the Eagles’ big center Andre Larson would give him a fair fight, things didn’t quite work out that way as Larsen was held to four points, two on free throws.
The second quarter got more interesting as players on both sides started showing a little bit more action. Eagle Cesar Flores showed some amazing jump shots. One spectator exclaimed “He looked like some kind of jumping spider” He intercepted passes and blocked out rival players. His quick ability to steal the ball and make it through all the Cambridge players added some quick baskets for the Eagles.
With four minutes left of the second quarter the Knights led 16-12, but the Eagles summoned up their spirit and not only evened the score but went get ahead, leaving the court at halftime with the score 18-20 for the Eagles.
Halftime gave both teams a chance to make adjustments and gave the fans time to gather their energies in preparation for the second half of the game. Curiosity was arouses when Cambridge Coach Victor Coronado took the Knights out of sight for a pep talk and rethinking of strategy. When the team reappeared there was fresh determination on their faces.
The third quarter brings fresh excitement as Cambridge surges back. Knight Gustavo Roca is back on the court, after being benched because he was in foul trouble and quickly makes an impression. “That kid has basically been built up from scratch in these two years” says a Cambridge fan.
The Knights comeback gives the enthusiastic Cambridge fans much to cheer about, and the gym gets a whole lot noisier. The Christian Learning crowd is as big and raucous as ever, and the Cambridge fans match them. It is almost as competitive in the stands as on the court as yells, applause, cheers and chants resound.
But by the end of the second quarter the Knights are up 35-24, and the question the Eagle fans have to be asking is whether the remaining ten minutes is enough time in which to catch them. The answer is no, but they don’t know that yet.
The Eagle players shout as they break their huddle and this gets their fans quite pumped, as they start doing The Wave in their half of the stands, and cheering their team on. Larsen does finally get loose to score two baskets, and his teammates are all doing their best to steal balls, and then pass, run and shoot through Cambridge’s tough defense.
But now Knights Juan Carlos Paniagua and Gabriel Alonso make themselves quite noticeable, both making great passes to set up scores. Alonso is stealing the ball every chance the Eagles give him, then streaking down court and scoring.
The Eagles are now pressing too hard, taking too many risks -- and making too many mistakes.
For the Knights, Luis Mercado tallied 27 points, Gustavo Roca had ten, Gabriel Alonso had eight, and Juan Carlos Paniague two.
For the Eagles, Larsen scored ten, Trevor Reed eight, Cesar Flores six, Haziel Martinez four and Jose Aldana two.
(Laura Guillen is a senior and managing editor for Cambridge.)
Jaguar boys victimize Griuffins, 73-7
The Cooperative boys varsity basketball team had its biggest offensive explosion of the year Tuesday asd it down International 73-7 in the Cooperative gym.
And, perhaps most remarkaby, the Jaguars did it without their star center Milan Marikovic, who is still sidelined with a knee injury.
The Jaguars broke on top in the first quarter, bursting out to a 27-2 lead in the first quarter, and were never headed. They led 41-3 at the half. At that point the possibility existed that the Jaguars would post their second 100-point plus win of the day. (The Jaguar girls had won earlier 102-8.) However, the pace slackened in the second half as the Jaguar boys avoided any tendency to run up the score gratuitously.
For the Jaguars, eighth grader Eduardo Ustarez tallied 18 points, followed closely by Josue Abuawad with 17. Giorgio Rodrigano and Andres Shin each had 14 points. Luis Peredo, another eighth grader, had eight points, and Rodrigo Chavez had two.
