The Varsity Boys Basketball team hosted the Christian Patriots Tuesday night in a central league match up. JD Laaperi was not available, so Coronado’s coaching duties fell to Sandy Dillon. Sandy told me before the game that Christian was tough, but beatable; the Islanders will just have to get their shots to fall.
Christian’s David Jeremiah scored his team’s first 8 points with two 3-pointers and a drive. Coronado answered with Myles Manning hitting a 15 foot side jumper, and Vaughn Madriaga followed with a nice feed inside to Bruen Roulier for two. When Caden Gentry drained a 3 pointer, the score was tied at 8 apiece. The next Coronado score was from the blooper-gone-right-highlight reel, when a pick and roll play worked to unexpected perfection. The pass to #23 Wyatt Montague bounced off his shoulder and landed softly in the hoop. The first quarter ended with Christian in the lead 13-10.
In the second period, Caden Gentry continued his strong game draining a 3-pointer to tie the game at 13. Then on successive possessions he was fouled hitting a 15-ft. jumper and 1; then stole the ball at center court leading to a breakaway lay-up. Christian controlled the backboards for most of the game despite solid defense and rebounding by Coronado’s Dejon Jackson. The score was 24-18 at half.
Christian pushed the pace in the second half, getting good looks at the basket. A nice assist from Myles Manning to Vaughn Madriaga chipped away at the lead. Myles followed with a lay-up of his own while Dejon Jackson played solid D against Christian’s big men. Midway through the 3rd quarter, the Patriot’s head coach started doing a Bobby Knight (complete with bright red blazer), jumping and screaming….I was scared for the folding chairs.
Back on the court, Jackson was fouled on a put back and converted the free throw and Manning hit a mid-range jumper to make the score 34-28 at the end of three.
Some poor shooting by the Islanders helped the Patriots build a double digit lead midway through the fourth quarter. Christian’s #4 Kyle Showers made a number of strong drives to the hoop for points and/or free throws. When the game appeared to be out of reach, the Islanders mounted their comeback. An assist from Manning to Gentry with 44 seconds left got the home team within striking distance 44-37. On the next possession, Manning hit a 3-pointer to bring the Islanders within four, 44-40. Christian was able to make their free throws in the final seconds to secure the win with a final score of 46-41. Caden Gentry led the Islanders with 16 points, with Myles Manning chipping in 10.
Next up for the Boys Varsity is an away game at Point Loma this Friday at 7:30pm.
