By Brandon Nguyen
In an energetic match last Friday, the boys’ basketball team beat the Corona Del Mar (CDM) Sea Kings with a final score of 67-48. The match was characterized by energetic skirmishes and scrappy plays for the ball.
Key players include senior JJ Gray with 33 points, sophomore Aaron DeSantiago with 18 points, and junior Collin Risse with 15 points. Gray led the Barons’ offensive using his height advantage and handles to quickly dribble into the key and pass the ball outward to shooters. The Sea Kings played strong outside the key and were able to break into the key for easy jump shots and their star player Ilan Agranovich scored 44 points.
The first quarter started with the Barons winning the tip. Dribbling down, the Barons spent time swinging the ball above the three-point line and found an opening to senior Fernando Garcia for an easy layup 20 seconds into the game. At six minutes and 45 seconds, Garcia fouled a Sea King at the three-point line with the player missing the first and third freethrow, but making the second.
At five minutes and 35 seconds, sophomore Troy Leach made a three pointer and the Sea Kings responded with a quick rush down the key and a fadeaway shot inside the key 13 seconds later. The game only intensified when junior Parker Rodriguez was fouled at the three-point line and CDM cheerleaders started stomping the floor as part of a chant. Rodgriuez missed the first free throw, but made the second and third.
The Barons called a timeout at 1:19 to restrategize and the quarter ended with the Barons in the lead, 16-9.
The second quarter started out with increased aggressiveness from CDM and the Barons matching their energy. The Sea Kings were able to make a quick three-pointer 20 seconds later and continued to swing the ball around to utilize Agranovich.
The Sea Kings switched up their defense, putting more attention on Gray and attempting to double team him. The Barons responded with Garcia setting pick and rolls for Gray to dribble into the key and quickly pass it out before getting jumped on. At six minutes and 27 seconds, Gray was able to make a fast break with the Sea Kings making a bounce pass into the key for an easy layup 22 seconds later.
Garcia reached his third foul at four minutes and 19 seconds prompting head coach Roger Holmes to substitute him out to reserve him for later in the game.
The Sea Kings were able to tighten the gap in points with Garcia subbed out, driving into the key and making more aggressive plays at the baseline. The Sea Kings made a longer three-pointer at one minute and 53 seconds further closing the point gap. The second quarter ended with a timeout called with three seconds remaining during a jump ball, with Barons remaining in the lead, 30-27.
“The second half, we played really good defense and that led to our offense getting going. It was a good combination and that’s just what we have to be more consistent on both ends of the floor,” Holmes said.
After halftime, the third quarter started with Gray quickly driving into the key and immediately getting fouled. At seven minutes and 22 seconds, the Sea Kings quickly passed the ball inside the key, causing a scuffle over a jump ball. Garcia reached his fourth foul at around the six minute mark prompting him to get subbed out.
The Sea Kings intercepted a pass from the Barons at five minutes and 56 seconds and were able to make a fast break for an easy layup. Possession of the ball started swinging back and forth with both teams unable to score inside the basket, but aggressively rebound for the ball.
Gray was able to consistently drive into the key making a behind the back dribble for a layup at four minutes and 50 seconds and then quickly rushing down for another layup 34 seconds later. The Sea Kings called a timeout with the score at 41-29 and CDM focused on reorganizing their defense.
Sophmore Kaden Yee’s foul at two minutes and 41 seconds broke the Barons past the seven team fouls mark entering the game into one and one. This led to the Sea Kings playing closer to the Barons on offense, attempting to get more fouls causing the Barons to throw a pass out of bounds after being trapped by three CDM players.
The third period ended with Devin Payne shooting a jump shot with five seconds left, ending the period 49-34.
The fourth period started in possession of the Barons, but a travel by Payne quickly handed it over to the Sea Kings. The Sea Kings played aggressively, driving into the key and getting fouled by the Barons, but missed their first free throw.
The game continued in a back and forth with neither team able to score. A bounce pass by the Barons was intercepted, but they quickly caught a pass by the Sea Kings attempting to fast break. The Sea Kings made a three-pointer at five minutes and 42 seconds and another long three pointer 37 seconds later.
At four minutes and 45 seconds, Gray was able to rebound a missed free throw leading to the Sea Kings calling for a full court press on Gray. After a successful pick and roll by the Sea Kings, they called a time out to regroup on how to make up for their point deficit.
“I’m used to getting doubled and tripled all season. I knew that every time I would come off a pick and roll, they would send a double at me so I would have [Fernando] roll and get it to open shooters,” Gray said.
Garcia was subbed back into the game after the timeout and able to make an easy layup after an easy pass from Gray. However, at two minutes and 23 seconds left, Garcia fouled, marking his fifth foul. As he was leaving the court, he received a technical foul in addition, resulting in giving the Sea Kings four free throws. The Sea Kings missed their first two free throws and then swapped out their player of choice to shoot for the technical foul free throws who made the first free throw, but missed the second.
“We definitely have to start out a lot harder. Every game we start out very very slowly so next game, we’re just going to lock in and try to get a win off the road,” Garcia said.
The game reached one and one for the SeaKings at two minutes and 18 seconds after a foul on Gray. The Sea Kings continued to play an aggressive full-court press which was broken easily. At one minute and 8 seconds, multiple players dove for a jump ball ending with the ball being called for possession in the Barons.
The game ended with the Sea Kings making a jump shot at 32 seconds, with the Barons winning 62-48. With this, the Barons get ready for their next match in a highly anticipated showdown against Newport Harbor.
“The next one is at Newport Harbor which is always a tough place to play and they’re having a very good year as well so it should be a good one,” Holmes said.
