2/22/06 7:00 PM
Placer (Auburn, CA) (SJS-DIV III)****
W 69-64 www.maxpreps.com
www.bayinside.comCougars rally for first playoff win
Nunnally's 20 points, clutch free throws help Weston Ranch prevail
By Stephen Roberson, STAFF WRITER
STOCKTON — There's a reason the Weston Ranch basketball team won 10 straight games and a share of the Valley Oak League championship after starting conference play 0-2.
The Cougars don't know how to quit.
So when No.10 Placer jumped all over them on Wednesday in the first quarter of their first-round Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoff game, nobody from No.7 Weston Ranch panicked.
And it paid off.
Sophomore James Nunnally finished with five rebounds and a team-high 20 points, including a pair of free throws with 2.2 seconds remaining, to lead the Cougars (20-5) to a 69-64 win over Placer in the school's first playoff game.
The Cougars, winners of 11 in a row, will travel to second-ranked Foothill in the quarterfinals on Friday. The Mustangs beat No.15 Lindhurst on Wednesday, 61-47.
Nunnally had just four points at halftime before breaking out in the third quarter. Then with the score tied 50-50 heading into the fourth, the sophomore hit a jumper from the top of the key and another from the lane to give the Cougars a 54-50 lead they'd never lose.
With 36 seconds left, Nunnally — who was 4-for-4 from the foul line — hit both ends to give Weston Ranch a 66-61 lead.
With six seconds left and Weston Ranch leading 67-64, Nunnally grabbed a rebound after teammate Vinnie Devencenzi missed his second free throw. He was quickly fouled and hit both free throws to shore up the win.
"After you've won 10 in a row, sometimes that ball bounces your way," Weston Ranch coach Bill Slikker said of the crucial rebound.
Slikker said he's tried to ease Nunnally into a key role, noting he's always had the skills but not necessarily the intensity needed to play at the level he played on Wednesday.
"As time's gone on, he's gotten much more physical and much more aggressive," Slikker said. "When he's aggressive, he's hard to stop."
His second-half performance came just in time.
Through the first quarter and half of the second quarter, it didn't look like Weston Ranch would need to charter a bus for Friday.
The Hillmen (18-10) appeared as if they had the Cougars outclassed, hitting frequently from the outside to build an 18-7 lead just 4:17 into the game.
"We didn't come out with any intensity," Nunnally said. "If we had, we'd have been up by 20."
The lead was again at 11 points, 30-19, with 5:11 to play in the first half when Weston Ranch came alive. The Cougars hit all seven free-throw attempts in the second quarter to chip away at the lead.
Devencenzi (14 points) and
Walter Jackson (eight points) closed the first half with a 3-pointer and a jumper inside to cut the deficit to 39-35 at the break.
Davon Jones, who had 19 points and seven rebounds, was the most consistent Cougar, scoring at least four points in every quarter.
2/17/06 7:15 PM
Sierra (Manteca, CA) **
W 47-44 www.maxpreps.comWeston Ranch gets share of VOL title
The Record Published Saturday, Feb 18, 2006
Bill Slikker's first thought as he watched his team clinch the Valley Oak League title was how happy he was for his senior class.The boys varsity basketball seniors at Weston Ranch won one game in their first year of varsity ball, and now they are co-champs of the VOL after beating Sierra 47-44 on Friday. The Cougars (19-5, 10-2 VOL) tied Sonora for the title."This is our first graduating class, and I am so happy for our seniors," Slikker said. "They went 1-24 last year, but they kept working. It feels great."
www.recordnet.comThe Ranch clinches first-ever VOL basketball title
WESTON RANCH — With his shirt sleeves pulled past the elbows and his hands on his head, Weston Ranch boys basketball coach Bill Slikker soaked in the panoramic view.Championships aren’t won in a day and the third-year coach needed time to reflect on the Cougars’ rollercoaster ride to the top.If only for a second.Then it was time to celebrate.With tears in his eyes, Slikker embraced his team and a raucous student body that washed onto the court.Meanwhile, near the center circle, star point guard Davon Jones lay sprawled out on his back with a wide-eyed gaze.
Vinny Devencenzi and Daniel Brown, a pair of embattled third-year varsity players, celebrated their long haul with a lasting hug.And so it went.Weston Ranch clinched its first-ever Valley Oak League varsity basketball championship in just its second season with a nail-biting 47-44 victory over district rival Sierra.The Cougars — just 1-24 a season ago — will share the crown with Sonora, who held on for a 39-30 win over archrival Oakdale Friday.Both clubs finished tied atop the league standings at 10-2. Sierra (11-12 overall), meanwhile, remained in fourth place at 6-6.“I’m a little choked up right now,” Slikker said. “Our seniors really deserve this. They busted their butts off for this. When you go 1-24 like we did last season, that really hurts your pride.“We were bleeding; we were hurting. But these guys worked their tails off so we could make ourselves better. I’m happy for them.”Fittingly, the game’s outcome rested in Jones’ hands.The journeyman guard, who missed his entire junior season and parts of his senior campaign because of academic ineligibility, answered three free throws by Marvin Cotton with one of his own to make it 47-44 with seconds remaining.Jones finished with a game-high 15 points — including three straight 3-pointers in the first quarter — eight rebounds and two assists.“I was praying I’d hit at least one (free throw),” Jones said. “I knew if I hit one the best (Sierra) could do was overtime.”It never materialized.Ryan Mitchell hoisted up an off-balanced 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds left, and after a favorable whistle gave Sierra one last chance, Cotton watched as his buzzer-beating 3-pointer glanced off the back of the iron.Cue the celebration.Devencenzi scored all nine of his points in the second half to help the Cougars build a double-digit third quarter lead, while Brown tallied eight on Senior Night.Michael Elder paced Sierra with 14 points, but was limited to just four points in the final 16 minutes. Brett Paige pumped home 10 points before fouling out with 2:45 left.The Timberwolves trailed by as many as 11 points in the third quarter, but roared back thanks to a methodical 12-2 run.Paige’s hook shot with 3:32 remaining in the contest pulled Sierra to within one, 40-39.“I started to pucker up a little bit when they came back. This happened the last time,” Slikker said, alluding to Weston Ranch’s thrilling come-from-behind 45-42 victory over Sierra on Jan. 25.“But it doesn’t matter if it’s a one-point win or a 10-point win. These guys are learning how to win, and that’s the most important part.”Sierra coach Scott Thomason traced the Timberwolves’ woes back to a first half that featured 13 turnovers and nine lead changes.“We shot ourselves in the foot in the first half and did not handle the pressure well at all,” Thomason said. “I think we should have held a halftime lead. . . But we got to keep a positive frame of mind. We got to move on and who we’re going to play.”
Both Weston Ranch (19-5) and Sierra will move on to the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. The Cougars, riding a 10-game winning streak, will host a Division III first-round game on Wednesday, while the Timberwolves venture out onto the road.First-round foes will be determined on Sunday night when the brackets are released.“I couldn’t ask for a better way to go into the playoffs,” Slikker said. “I don’t care if we’re co-champions. There’s no better way, plus a 10-game winning streak isn’t bad either.”Jones wasn’t ready to talk about the playoffs. He was too busy hamming it up for the cameras.
With his No. 1 finger pointed toward the rafters and a net draped around his neck, Jones relished a moment he almost missed out on.Jones was the centerpiece for Weston Ranch’s boys basketball before poor grades and attendance issues nearly stripped him of his prep career.The Cougars went 21-5 and 15-1 to capture junior varsity VOL title in the school’s inaugural season. On Friday, Jones and four other seniors left the VOL just as they found it three seasons ago: as champions.“I’m just happy we could get back to how we played at as a junior varsity team,” Jones said. “We came in with a championship and now we’re going out with one.”
Junior Varsity
Sierra closed the season with a 39-31 win over host Weston Ranch.Josh Bowen led the Cougars in the loss with 10 points. Brian Morris finished with seven and Derek Jamison totaled six.
Freshman
Jordan Richardson tried his best to lift Sierra past Weston Ranch on Friday, but the VOL champions proved their worth with a 63-43 victory.Jashune Stokes was the catalyst throughout for the Cougars. Stokes poured in a game-high 35 points, while Derrick Sykes chimed in with 19.Richardson led the Timberwolves with 23.To contact James Burns, e-mail
jburnswww.mantecabulletin.comWeston Ranch boys share title
By Stephen Roberson, STAFF WRITER
STOCKTON — One win, 24 losses.
That's what Weston Ranch coach Bill Slikker had to chew on for nine months following last year's boys basketball season.
On Friday night, the Cougars' regular-season ended, and there was just a little bit better vibe in the Weston Ranch gym than there was a year ago.
That's what happens when teams win championships.
The Cougars put the finishing touches on their improbable run on Friday, downing Sierra 47-44 at home to grab a share of the Valley Oak League championship.
Sonora, which entered the night tied with Weston Ranch, beat Oakdale 39-30 to secure its half of the championship.
It didn't appear to take any luster off the Cougars' half of the title.
"It's tough to comprehend right now," he said, fighting his emotions. "I'm just so proud of these guys. They worked their tails off.
"With all we went through last year going 1-24, they never quit. Right now, I'm getting choked up."
Davon Jones (15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals) came out big for the Cougars early, hitting three 3-pointers to pace Weston Ranch (19-5, 10-2) to a 15-14 lead by the end of the first quarter.
The Cougars took a 24-22 advantage into halftime before jumping ahead 33-23 early in the third quarter.
But Sierra has been playing its best basketball the past two weeks, and the Timberwolves (11-12, 6-6 VOL) refused to pack it in.
With Weston Ranch leading 40-32 early in the fourth, the Timberwolves went on a 7-0 run to cut the margin to 40-39.
But they did it with five straight trips to the line, where they only hit 5 of 10.
"We had one string where we were going 1-for-2, 1-for-2, 1-for-2," Sierra coach Scott Thomason said. "If we put some free throws in ... We can't do anything about that. We just have to stay positive."
The co-championship isn't just a big turnaround from last year, it also capped an impressive Weston Ranch run after a disappointing start to the league season.
They went 9-3 during non-league play but lost to East Union and Sonora to start 0-2 in the VOL.
Still, Jones said nobody was surprised when the Cougars entered the week still in the title hunt.
"We thought this was possible since the beginning of the season," Jones said. "Even when we got down to 0-2 at the beginning of league, we knew we'd be here playing for a championship."
Michael Elder led Sierra with 14 points, and Brett Paige added 10.
Vinnie Devencenzi, who was scoreless in the first half, finished with nine points for Weston Ranch (19-5, 10-2) and Daniel Brown had 8.
Weston Ranch on verge of league title Published Friday, Feb 17, 2006
STOCKTON - Bill Slikker began building the Weston Ranch boys basketball program in November 2003, and it's been a roller-coaster ride of success and inexperience.After winning at Buhach Colony last year for their lone win in a 1-24 season, Slikker has a team that's on the brink of clinching a share of the Valley Oak League. They are currently tied with Sonora at 9-2 in Valley Oak League play.
"The boys never quit last year - I'll give them all of the praise in the world," Slikker said. "We had tape on our chins, and we were fighting to the very finish. We knew we were building towards this year, and now, it's finally paying off."The Cougars enter tonight's 7:15 p.m. regular season finale against Sierra as the seventh-ranked team in the Sac-Joaquin Division III power ratings. Five seniors - Daniel Brown, Davon Jones, Sam Wilson, Darren Williams and George Robertson - will play their final regular season home game for Weston Ranch (18-5 and ranked third in The Record poll)Jones leads a balanced scoring attack with 10.5 points, seven rebounds and four assists.Slikker knew that this group of varsity players were capable of enjoying success, but now he realizes that they're the cornerstone of the program, guiding the program to its first-ever playoff appearence."These (seniors) have been the example to all of our lower levels," Slikker said. "You always set your goals high.
At the beginning of the season, our goal was to host a home playoff game. Now, we've had to set new goals."As sophomores, the class of 2006 went 21-5 and won the VOL junior varsity with a 15-1 mark. The current junior class, led by
Walter Jackson, who averages nine points and nine rebounds per game, won the league title last year.But Slikker said the jump to varsity was a big one."It's a different game," Slikker said. "It's a lot faster, and we weren't sure how we were going to respond. It's been a growing experience.
Winning the championship as a sophomore is one thing, but boys mature and get bigger and stronger. We've had to learn to adapt to that."The 2005-06 season didn't get off to an ideal start. The Cougars dropped their first two league games to Sonora and then archrival East Union, but they've since responded."They rose to the challenge and rolled off nine straight," Slikker said.
"It could have easily continued down that hill, and we could have said, 'here we go again'."
Jackson said the team used the offseason to make sure it didn't endure anything close to another 1-24 campaign."We were kind of upset about (going) 1-24 last year, and we wanted to come out and make a difference and show everybody how we really play,"
Jackson said. "Every day during the summer and during football season we had weight training."As the Cougars prepare for next week's playoffs, Slikker knows that even more challenges await his team. The top teams in D-III are St. Mary's, Sacramento High and Union Mine.
But the second-year varsity head coach plans on focusing on his team's strengths, not worrying about talented opponents."What we've been talking about it is playing our game," Slikker said. "We're not going to try and change what we do. We're going to play our game and see how it stacks up against those teams. We're excited to host a game."
2/15/06 7:15 PM
Oakdale (CA) **
W 67-31 www.maxpreps.comFLYING HIGH
The Ranch rolls to ninth straight winWESTON RANCH — Bill Slikker never sat down — save for the occasional kneel — and his Weston Ranch boys basketball team never stopped running.No pit-stops.No timeouts.And, with its hockey-style substitutions and frenetic style of play, water breaks came on the fly.
“That’s our game,” junior swingman
Walter Jackson said nonchalantly.
Behind a stifling full-court press and one acrobatic finish after another, the Cougars rolled to their ninth straight Valley Oak League victory with a highlight-worthy 67-41 win over the visiting Oakdale Mustangs Wednesday.Weston Ranch (18-5 overall, 9-2 VOL) created 23 turnovers, including 13 in the second half alone, and exercised its supreme athleticism against a depleted Oakdale team.
The Mustangs’ leading scorer Fabian Lopez was relegated to street clothes for the fourth straight game and will miss the rest of the season with multiple tendon tears in his right ankle.Bruising 6-foot-7 center Jake Duncan sat out the entire first half and finished with just three points and two blocks in limited action.“We got some guys hurt; we got some guys out and our best scorer wasn’t even on the floor,” Oakdale coach David Antinetti said. “With all that adversity going on, I thought our guys played well.“But Weston Ranch is really athletic.
They go four, five and sometimes six guys deep on their bench. They did a good job of running that press and we didn’t have the best night handling the ball.”The good news continued to pour in for Weston Ranch following the game.Mere minutes after exiting the locker rooms, the Cougars were greeted with surprising news from across Interstate 5: Sierra upset Sonora.The Timberwolves delivered a crushing blow to the season-long leaders Wednesday with a 38-36 win, creating a logjam at the top of the standings with one game to go.Weston Ranch can clinch its first-ever varsity league title — in any sport — with either a win over Sierra on Friday or a Sonora loss to Oakdale in its season finale.“Our goal is still the playoffs.
If Sierra can knock off Sonora, that tells me that they’ll be ready to play on Friday,” said Slikker, whose Cougars are ranked seventh in the latest release of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III power ratings.“Don’t get me wrong; it’s nice to have that opportunity. Any championship at any level is nice to have. But we want to hit our stride going into playoffs. Today our whole goal was to play four quarters of Cougar basketball. I was pleased with the effort.”Vinny Devencenzi poured in a game-high 15 points and began the flurry with a rare four-point play to start the contest.Devencenzi rolled a 3-pointer in from the wing on Weston Ranch’s first possession and then was toppled to the ground.There was no looking back.
Jackson finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds, and the lanky junior energized a rowdy home crowd with an alley-oop slam midway through the second.Davon Jones (two points, five assists) collected an errant Oakdale pass near midcourt and steered the fast-break possession.Looking off Jackson, who had cut down the endline, Jones lifted a pass just off the rim.Jackson knew what to do next — they had rehearsed it all season.“
We’ve been trying to get that going,”
Jackson said. “
But that’s the first time we’ve hooked up like that.”The Cougars led by as many as 17 twice in the first half before ducking into the break with a 33-21 advantage.Sam Wilson scored all nine of his points in the second half, while sophomores James Nunnally and Mic’ael Thomas (four assists) each finished with seven.
Nunnally opened the fourth with a booming slam that triggered a 7-0 blitz, giving the Cougars a 29-point lead — their largest of the game.“We have to get the game up to our speed,” Slikker said. “We have to get up and down the floor.“The kids are so aggressive right now. They’re absolutely loving it. They make me look like a genius.”Slikker can look like a savior with a win on Friday during the Cougars’ first-ever Senior Night festivities.
A win would solidify the school’s first varsity banner and help dull the sting of a nightmarish 2005 season that saw Weston Ranch finish 1-24.“
Every game counts,”
Jackson said.
“We’re playing with confidence, but we still have to play our game.”Tory Bear paced Oakdale (12-13, 2-9) with seven points, while Nic Reed and Trenton St. John each tallied six.
Junior Varsity
Brian Morris had 16 points and Maurice Haungabook finished with 10 as Weston Ranch (13-11, 6-7) cruised to a 64-30 win over Oakdale.
Every Cougar player scored in the win.
Freshman
Weston Ranch (15-9, 12-1) clinched at least a share of the VOL title Wednesday with a 52-32 win over Oakdale.Jashune Stokes led all players with 17 points, while Derrick Sykes contributed nine to the win.To contact James Burns, e-mail
jburns@mantecabulletin.comwww.matecabullein.com
2/10/06 7:15 PM @
Manteca (CA) **
W 54-46 www.maxpreps.comWeston Ranch stops late Manteca run
By Dave Campbell,, CORRESPONDENT,
MANTECA — Trailing 37-12 late in the second quarter, Manteca High came out from halftime a different team, clawing back to within 52-46 with 1:15 remaining in the Valley Oak League boys basketball contest with visiting Weston Ranch on Friday night.
The Cougars managed to hit a pair of free throws down the stretch, and all the remaining Buffalo attempts were off the mark as Weston Ranch escaped from Winter Gymnasium with a 54-48 victory.
"Weston Ranch came out with a lot of intensity," Manteca coach Dave Ascuncion said. "We came out a little flat and put ourselves in too deep of a hole to come back from."
After scoring just four points in the second quarter, the Buffaloes (9-16, 4-7 VOL) held the Cougars (16-5, 8-2) to just five points in the third period while banging in 17 points behind Garrett Tolman's 10. Tolman led all scorers with 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
"Again in the first half we had great execution," Cougars coach Bill Slicker said. "With our press and everything else, it was all there.
"Manteca got real aggressive in the second half, but we were able to walk away with the win, our eighth in a row
"We were No.8 in the power rankings coming into this game, and all we can do is worry about ourselves. We just want a home game, and we will worry about who we will meet later."
The Buffaloes finished with 18 turnovers, none bigger than the two steals by Weston Ranch's
Walter Jackson in the final two minutes. When asked about the steals,
Jackson said,
"I was just trying to do something to help the team out. We came out strong in the first half, but then we let up and let them come back into the game.
"But we were able to get the win, and that is what counts."
James Nunnally and Davon Jones each scored 10 points to pace the Cougars and Jones added eight rebounds, five assists and four steals.
"We were hitting our shots when we needed to," Nunnally said. "In the second half we started falling and let them back into it. But we were able to close them out."
Alex Pahl scored nine points and pulled down 10 rebounds for Manteca.
"Coach Asuncion gave us a real good pep talk at halftime," Pahl said. We came out and started communicating with each other, and we executed like we didn't in the first half.
"Our last game is against East Union here, and we want this second half to carry over into that. We are for sure going to come out ready to play."
The Weston Ranch sophomores broke a late tie to win 53-48.
Daniel Castillo scored 13 points and Josh Bowen 12 for the Cougars. Matt Gomez tallied 16 points for the Buffaloes.
2/3/06 7:15 PM @
East Union (Manteca, CA) **
W 60-55 www.maxpreps.comCougars pounce Lancers
WESTON RANCH — The Weston Ranch High basketball team had to prove something to itself against East Union High on Friday.It had to prove it was capable of getting a win against the defending Valley Oak League champions.It had to prove it could not only play with this area’s top competition, but be able to earn a 60-55 win over them as well.Weston Ranch turned the Lancers’ Homecoming into a not so hospitable event.The Cougars (7-2 VOL) held a six-game winning streak heading into this contest, and after the win, extended it to seven.“I didn’t see one individual guy get this win for us. It was a team effort,” Weston Ranch coach Bill Slikker said.
East Union went to their locker rooms facing a 16-point deficit at the break.But the Lancers came out and ignited a spark that lasted the remainder of the contest.Credit to Steffen Spinks.The former VOL Most Valuable Player scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half alone.Spinks made seven trips to the free-throw line, going 10-of-11 and also grabbed nine rebounds against the Cougars.“
In the second half guys stepped up and hit some shots,” Spinks said. “I don’t know what to say, they (Weston Ranch) played a good game and hit the key shots.”Although Spinks’ efforts weren’t enough to lead East Union to a victory, they were close.Down by 19 points with under five minutes left in the third quarter, the Lancers came charging back.East Union cut their seemingly impossible deficit to two points as the game’s final quarter begun.East Union’s Ryan Fisher, Jordan McDaniel and Travis Medeiros each had opportunities to tie the game with a three-pointer.
But
Walter Jackson hit two jump shots for Weston Ranch in the fourth quarter, and that extended his team’s lead back to six on two different occasions.“My team gave me the ball and I was confident when I shot my shot,” added
Jackson. “We came out hyped, but we just let them run with us in the second half.”
Jackson finished with 19 points and eight rebounds.
Davon Jones had the Weston Ranch team-high with 17 points, and also grabbed nine rebounds.Vinny Devencenzi finished with 12 points for the Cougars, 11 in the first half. Brandon Silva, George Robertson and James Nunnally all added two points to the Weston Ranch total.“Our crowd really got our team going in the first half,” Slikker said. “I haven’t seen a high school team play that good in a long time in the first half. On fire.”
The Cougars put up 38 first-half points, and went on a 19-6 run to close the second quarter. The Lancers committed 10 turnovers against Weston Ranch.East Union’s Fisher finished with 11 points and yanked down six rebounds against the Cougars, while McDaniel finished with eight points and two steals.Medeiros added two points to the Lancer total, and also had a few assists. Daniel Markham and John Moreno each hit a three-pointer. Spencer Arroyo pitched in with five points, seven rebounds and two blocks.“Our guys played with heart and we had a chance here tonight,” East Union coach Eric Simoni said. “I’m real proud of our team, it was a great second half effort on Homecoming. It’s just too bad we didn’t get that win.”
Despite Weston Ranch committing 11 second half turnovers, the Cougars were still able to hang on to the win. The Ranch will meet with Manteca High next Friday after their bye.East Union will visit Oakdale on Wednesday.
Junior Varsity
East Union defeated Weston Ranch 44-41 on Friday.Cody Lee led the Lancers in scoring, finishing with 13 points. Josh Vander Werff had six and Eugene Alston finished with eight points against the Cougars.On Wednesday, East Union lost 54-51 to Central Valley High.Lee finished with 21 points in the Lancers’ losing effort.
Freshman
Weston Ranch dropped East Union 57-25 on Friday.Jayshaune Stokes led the Ranch with 13 points, Chris Durante and Derrick Sykes each finished with six points.The Lancers were down by four towards the end of the first half, but in the second half the Cougars pulled away.Ray Gonzales had six points for the Lancers, Andy and Nick Garcia each finished with three points.On Wednesday, East Union dropped their contest to Central Valley 51-49. Gonzales scored 18 points and Nick Garcia scored 16 points against Central Valley.By JOHN-JOEL GRIFFITHS
www.mantecabulletin.comE. Union comeback falls shortUpstart Weston Ranch scores big sweep of two VOL games this week
By Stephen RobersonSTAFF WRITER,
MANTECA — For a half on Friday, the highly anticipated Weston Ranch-East Union Valley Oak League boys basketball game appeared as if it was going to fall flat on its face, the result of a one-sided Cougars showing.
But they play two halves.
Weston Ranch, playing its second varsity season and its first with seniors, allowed an 18-point lead to dwindle to two late in the fourth quarter, but the Cougars held on for a 60-55 win at the Dalben Center.
The victory gives the Cougars (16-5, 7-2 VOL) a huge sweep on the week, following Wednesday night's win over Sonora, the Wildcats' first league loss.
"I didn't know what to expect down the stretch," Weston Ranch coach Bill Slikker said. "But these guys, for the first year of being a full varsity squad, they've learned how to finish games at the right time. This was a huge week for us."
It was a huge sweep the Cougars nearly let slip away.
East Union's Steffen Spinks, who ended the first half with a pair of free throws to cut Weston Ranch's lead to 38-22, scored nine of his game-high 23 points in the third quarter. Spinks, who finished 15-of-17 from the free-throw line, also grabbed 10 rebounds to record a double-double.
"In the beginning of the first half, they guarded me well," Spinks said. "I tip my hat to them. Every time I got rid of the ball they made sure I didn't get it back.
"In the second half, I just put it in my hands. I want the ball. At the end of the game, if I have to pull it out, so be it."
But as far as Spinks carried the Lancers, he couldn't get them through the threshhold.
With the Cougars lead cut to two, 57-55, with 6:29 to play — partly because they went cold from the line, where they missed six straight from the middle of the third quarter through the middle of the fourth — the Ranch crew finally responded.
Devon Jones ended the drought from the line when he converted one of two, putting the Cougars in front 50-45 with 4:53 left. Following a pair of Spinks free throws, Jones hit arguably the night's biggest shot, a 3-pointer from the top-right side that pushed the lead back to six, 53-47.
One reason the Cougars have managed to finish wins this year is their depth, and the confidence of the starters if they need help from their reserves.
"Right now, nobody in the VOL is as deep as us on the bench," Jones said. "We've got 10 people who can play at any time. We just wear teams down. That's how we win games."
Lancers coach Eric Simoni, who's been living with close losses like Friday's all year, was disappointed to fall short once again. But he was pleased with how his team responded following a disastrous second quarter, when East Union (12-11, 4-4) allowed a three-point deficit at the end of the first to grow to as many as 18 points.
He said at halftime, he challenged his players' character, and they answered that challenge.
"I used an old analogy that I got from my high school baseball coach, coach (Darryl) Hardcastle, about what kind of person you're going to be," Simoni said.
"Our guys played with a lot of heart again."
Walter Jackson led Weston Ranch with 19 points, seven rebounds and a steal, Jones finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, and Darrin Williams pulled down nine boards.
Ryan Fisher finished with 11 points and six rebounds for East Union.
www.trivalleyherald.comIt's a first: Cougars defeat Lancers Michael Sudhalter Record Staff Writer Published Saturday, Feb 4, 2006
MANTECA - Weston Ranch boys basketball coach Bill Slikker said his team has learned how to play through tough situations.
"We're learning how to finish games at the right time," Slikker said after the Cougars spoiled East Union's homecoming with a 60-55 win Friday night. "It was composure and understanding the situation."The Cougars (16-5, 7-2 Valley Oak League) finished 1-24 last season, but they're now contending with Sonora for the VOL title.Weston Ranch picked up its first-ever victory over defending VOL champion East Union (12-11, 4-4 VOL).
The Cougars jumped out to a 36-18 lead but went 5:13 without a basket in the second half. They closed out the Lancers with some clutch fourth quarter shots by
Walter Jackson and Davon Jones."
We came out kind of slow, but we came together and did our thing," said
Jackson, who scored 19 points. "He (Slikker) told us that if we want to win this game, (we've) got to show it on the court and play hard."Jones paced Weston Ranch with 17 points, including four 3-pointers. East Union cut the Cougars' lead to 47-45 in the fourth quarter, but they never tied the game."It doesn't surprise me that our guys (came back)," Lancers coach Eric Simoni said. "We had our chances. We had them on the ropes. You've got to play flawless to pull off that comeback."East Union's Steffen Spinks scored a game-high 23 points, including 15 of 17 from the free-throw line. The Lancers' four VOL losses have come by a total of 12 points.
www.recordnet.com
1/27/06 7:15 PM @
Buhach Colony (Atwater, CA) **
W 73-64 Walter played but got kicked out of the game on a bad call..he attmpted to dunk but missed a tech was given (tech foul) because he hung on the goal (which he had to do not to fall on someone) then he dunked and made it-they called a tech, didnt count the point and kicked him out of the game.
1/26/06-Made athlete of the week
www.trivalleyherald.com
