Baksa swats Live Oak big man to highlight 56-42 loss to
Acorns.
MORGAN HILL – The Gilroy High boys basketball team was undersized and overmatched in almost every game this season – but what the Mustangs lacked in some areas they made up for in others with their heart, hustle, and desire.
Although their season ended on a disappointing note Friday night – a 56-42 road loss to rival Live Oak for the second time this year – the Mustangs walked away with a lot more than just the one league win managed in a brutal Tri-County Athletic League schedule.
“They made every game interesting even for a second or two during this game I had a glimmer of hope,” said head coach Michael Baumgartner, whose squad went from a league championship to a last place finish in one short season. “I just told them in the locker room they fight and scrap like they do in basketball, if they do that in their daily lives, they will be extremely successful individuals. So I am very proud of them.”
The proudest moment of Friday’s regular-season finale came in the second quarter when senior guard Tucker Baksa – and all of his six-foot-one frame – swatted Live Oak’s biggest of big men, Maciek Bratkowski – who stands six-foot-10.
“I was just surprised actually that I got up,” said Baksa, who finished up his high school career with seven points. “I had a lot of fun. All my teammates made it fun, and Coach Baumgartner and Coach (James) Wilkins made it so we wanted to play. We were almost in every game.”
Like the rest of the Gilroy faithful in attendance, Coach Baumgartner was amazed by Baksa’s block on the inside and his all-around performance.
“That was sweet,” Baumgartner said. “We just kept telling him all year long, he’s got to be more aggressive with his penetration and finally he took it to heart. He showed what he can be. If he would have done that all year, he would have been an All-League candidate.”
Junior guard Brandt Chacon led all Gilroy scorers with 14 points – including three buckets from beyond the arc – while senior Danny Vadillo (six points), junior Ron Colmon (four points), senior Josh Gravell (five points), senior Erik Tollison (two points), junior Kyle Loving (two points), and senior Todd Gimenez (two points) all got on the scoresheet.
“I told these guys you compete in a league like this game in and game out, and you give your heart and soul every game, that’s just draining for anybody,” Baumgartner said. “For them to be in every game, I enjoyed. It was rewarding. It’s not about Ws and Ls all the time.”
This season it was not as the Mustangs finished with a 7-16 overall record – only one ‘W’ coming in T-CAL at the expense of North Salinas by a 70-55 margin.
In their final game together, the Mustangs went up against the tallest of opponents in Live Oak – which sports three players over six-foot-eight along with six-foot-five star guard Miles Curley.
Baskets were hard to come by in the opening quarter as Gilroy fell behind 12-4 at the first break. But in the second quarter, the Mustangs rallied back – like they have done so many times this season – to within four. Baksa’s inbound pass to Chacon for a baseline trey made it a 16-12 spread. But that was the closest Gilroy would come – falling behind 20-12 by halftime.
In the second half, the Acorns pulled away – extending to a 41-27 advantage at the end of the third quarter and eventually winning by a 14-point spread.
There is hope for the future in Gilroy, though.
“Our freshmen won the championship today. Our JV won the championship today even with the loss,” Baumgartner said. “Future’s so bright I got to start wearing shades.”
