By Brandon Nguyen
In a spirited match on Tuesday, the boys’ basketball team came out on top against Corona del Mar High School (CdM) with a 70-61 win.
Key players include senior Roddie Anderson with 18 points, junior Jeremiah Whitmore with 16 points and sophomore Carter Bryant with 9 points.
The game started with CdM winning the tip and quickly setting up for offense. The Barons successfully defended a drive inside the key by a CdM player allowing the Barons to take the offensive. At seven minutes and 20 seconds, Anderson scored a three-pointer for the first basket of the night.
The first period mainly consisted of CdM attempting jump shots inside the key and the Barons driving in for layups.
The clock stood at four minutes and fifty six seconds when a CdM player was able to cut inside the key and pass for a layup. This prompted assistant coach Timicha Kirby (T.K.) to call a timeout where they discussed new strategies such as having a stronger man-to-man defense and more control of the ball on offense.
After the time out, the Barons started scoring consecutive fast breaks. Anderson outpaced his opponents for a reverse layup at two minutes and thirty-three seconds.
The first quarter ended 14-9.
“Our defense was definitely a negative this game, we allowed too many points and we couldn’t guard them. We took [CdM] way too lightly and I think it was laziness,” Anderson said. “You can’t do that against anybody in this league.”
The second quarter opened with the Barons in possession of the ball. After a missed jump shot from senior Aden Casarez, CdM took possession but the ball was quickly stolen by sophomore Zachary Stead for a layup at seven minutes and twenty seconds. CdM responded with a dunk at six minutes and five seconds earning roars from supporters and for T.K. to call another timeout.
The Barons started becoming more aggressive as they started putting pressure on CdM’s inbound passes. At four minutes and fifty-nine seconds, junior JJ Gray was able to intercept a pass and score a layup.
Intensity heightened when Bryant received his third foul at four minutes and twenty-three seconds leading to his substitution out. The Barons continued to swing the ball around the three-point line and look for inside passes to Whitmore. At three minutes, Whitmore posted up and shot a fadeaway inside the key leading to a timeout by CdM.
With two seconds left in the second quarter, Anderson took a fast break to the basket making a layup and receiving an and one. He missed the free throw ending the second quarter 26-25.
After halftime, the third quarter opened with an aggressive atmosphere. Anderson got a steal for a fastbreak but received a foul for charging at seven minutes and forty-seven seconds. Both sides kept up the back and forth of fastbreaks when Gray threw a halfcourt pass to Bryant for a layup at six minutes and thirty-seven seconds.
The Barons started outpacing CdM when Anderson was able to fastbreak for a layup at five minutes and twenty-three seconds. Inside the key, Whitmore as the tallest on the court grabbed multiple rebounds for easy lobs back inside the basket. CdM pushed back, able to shoot multiple three-pointers and cuts along the baseline.
The third quarter ended 46-35.
“[Playing inside the key] was fine. All I had to do was to listen to my coach and what the point guard was telling me to do. The post area and dunkish area was very strong,” Whitmore said. “Though, I think I could have stayed more disciplined.”
The final quarter continued with the same vigor as the previous and opened with the Barons in possession. Bryant made a jump shot at seven minutes and thirty eight seconds after the ball was passed around. A CdM player at seven minutes was able to get an and-one when driving into the key and made his free throw.
With the score gap tightening, both teams kept up the fight. At six minutes and forty seconds, Whitmore dunked on a fast break leading to a timeout by CdM. After the timeout, CdM initiated a full-court press in an attempt to get turnovers.
Whitmore continued to find success inside the key by posting up and making layups. At three minutes and 17 seconds, Casarez scored a three-pointer which gave the Barons 68 points. With the game closing out, T.K. subbed in the weaker players to ensure everyone got a chance to play ending with a 70-61 victory.
“We just wanted to play with effort. No matter what the defense was and we did not do that and execute tonight. We have to do more defensively if we want to continue to be successful,” T.K. said.
The boys’ next match will be a home game on Thursday at 7 p.m. against the Huntington Beach Oilers.
