www.maxpreps.com
Cougars 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.com
E. 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.com
It'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
posted by aliciacya @ 7:12 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home