Sac vs. Bay: Sac pulls one out

Kevin McCarthy
 

It didn’t look good for our neighbors to the north. Words like skunked, steamrolled, blitzed -- if you’ll pardon the mixed sports metaphor -- were being readied. Then a combination of factors entered into the equation ...

Julian Welch

It didn’t look good for our neighbors to the north. Words like skunked, steamrolled, blitzed -- if you’ll pardon the mixed sports metaphor -- were being readied. Then a combination of factors entered into the equation of the final game and Sacramento was able to regain some measure of territorial respect at the Sac vs. Bay Showdown.

The Bay Area boys senior squad led 114-113 with 39.2 seconds remaining in the game when Will Brew stood at the foul line for two shots. The first missed, as did the second.

Franklin’s Julian Welch then came down the court, took the ball into the paint and jumpstopped, looking and looking for a teammate. His pass attempt was batted around and eventually Mitty’s Collin Chiverton was fouled driving to the other hoop.

Chiverton missed the first. His second try also was errant and Sacramento rebounded, still down by just one.

Close to the three-point line on the right side, Welch tossed up a jumper that was ruled a two-point basket, giving Sac a 115-114 lead with four seconds remaining.

Coach Jonas Honick of the Bay Area (Branson) called timeout to set up his team’s strategy. After receiving the inbounds pass and nearing the halfcourt line, Branson’s Oliver McNally was brushed by a Sacramento player and a foul was called with 1.3 seconds showing and the Bay Area down by one.

McNally toed the foul line. His first shot went up but missed. So did his second attempt and the band from up north snagged quite the unexpected triumph.

In the first half, the Bay Area squad led 30-13 with 13:05 still in the first half. It was a very comfortable 69-48 differential at the half for the locals.

At the 15:22 mark of the second half, Sacramento was still down big at 81-52.

Then it was Julian Welch stepping up big time. He nailed a trey, four free throws, a layup and then a runner from the left side. The latter basket cut the Bay Area lead to 89-83 with 9:10 on the clock.

Sac kept coming on and closing.

During the comeback, the locals played selfishly, utilizing an over-reliance on individual dribble moves leading to poor ball movement, double-team traps and resulting turnovers and shots that stopped falling. That plus a host of shot attempts that were overly fancy in nature and generally missed.

But do give credit to the kids who traveled the greatest distance to play in the game as Sacramento never gave up when such would have been easy to do so. To fold or not to fold was a legitimate question and the guys from the capital area chose to persevere.

It resulted in a victory.

Bay Area Rolls in First Three Games

In the opening contest featuring the Bay Area and Sacramento underclass girls squads, the locals triumphed 90-67. At the 10-minute mark of the first half, the Bay Area was ahead by just one point, 22-21. That lead was extended to 40-31 at the half. A series of points runs boosted the differential to 52-39, then 58-41 and finally 75-55 at the 6:32 mark of the second half.

Kamilah Jackson of Sacred Heart Cathedral was named the most valuable player based on her 15 points and 13 rebounds. Runnerup was Pinole Valley’s DeNesha Stallworth who totaled 17 points, eight boards and five rejections -- event to the Bay Area.

In the boys underclass segment, the Bay Area contingent ran away with a 114-84 victory. After leading 19-10 with 13 minutes on the clock, Eric Musselman’s group kept extending the lead and led 59-46 after 20 minutes. The co-most valuable players were Damon Powell of McClymonds and Lucas Devenny of Piner High. Powell put on his usual high-flying act while Devenny showed good range on his shot with a pair of three-pointers plus his usual presence in the paint -- event to the Bay Area.

The Sac - Bay seniors girls contest generally remained close although the Bay ladies usually maintained an eight-or-so point lead most of the game prior to winning 75-68. Sacramento was down 36-29 at the half but didn’t score until 16:40 was on the clock in the second 20 minutes and by then the difference between the two teams was double digits at 41-29.

Fairfield’s Paris Gravely was the leading scorer for her Sacramento squad while teammate Jessica Graham battled well. Loyola Marymount-bound Alex Cowling was voted the most valuable player based on her 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Okay, same time next year.