Gilroy makes only 11 of 26 free throws in 54-44 loss to
Balers
HOLLISTER – The Gilroy High girls basketball team was defeated 54-44 at San Benito High on Tuesday.
The Haybalers won the first meeting in Gilroy, but had to go to overtime to do it. The Lady Mustangs were forced to play catch-up after having the lead only in the opening minute.
Gilroy head coach Kari Williams said the biggest difference this time was her team’s 11-for-26 performance from the free-throw line.
“Any time we would get close, we couldn’t hit our free throws,” Williams said. “They physically outsized us at every position. They were rebounding. We tried to front them and deny them the weak side. But we couldn’t handle their size.”
The Mustangs, with their three sophomore starters, tied the score at 10-10 in the first quarter on a long two by guard Shante Mancera. But the Balers answered right back with a pair of buckets from Jaime Hall, who led all scorers with 18 points.
Hall’s post presence was especially felt in the fourth quarter when she scored nine points. Both Hall and Mallorie Wilson had 10 rebounds each for the Balers.
The Balers continued the pressure in the second half as Johni Kieswetter and Denise Simens hit a pair of free throws. By halftime, the Balers had built up a 30-19 lead.
But Gilroy chipped away in the third quarter, going on a 12-5 run. The Mustangs started to take advantage of turnovers and were moving the ball well on offense.
Sophomore point guard Kristen Campos, who had ten points for the Mustangs, opened up the quarter with a three-point shot. Gilroy got within five points to start the fourth quarter.
But senior center Sarah Hoeft, who was in foul trouble most of the game, fouled out with 5:53 left, junior forward Amanda Link also fouled out just minutes later. Without two of its tallest players, the Mustangs couldn’t contain the taller Baler team. Gilroy had three players foul out the last time the teams met.
“They play physical, but they give up a lot of fouls,” said Baler coach Tom Dean. “They give it a lot of effort – you can’t knock that. If they would stay out of foul trouble, they would be a team to be reckoned with. They didn’t give up.”
Gilroy 10 9 12 13–44
San Benito 10 20 5 19–54
Gilroy: Mancera 2 2-4 6, Costa 1 2-3 4, Correa 1 0-1 0, DiFiore 1 0-0 2, Hussey 0 1-2 1, Hoeft 1 0-0 2, Nowakowski 1 0-3 2, Link 4 1-2 9, Campos 3 3-5 10, Okere 3 2-7 7 Totals 17 11-26 44
San Benito: Simens 0 2-2 2, Andrewson 3 1-2 7, Anaya 0 0-2 0, Flores 1 1-3 3, Kieswetter 1 2-2 3, Leal 1 0-0 1, Lee 4 1-2 9, Almaguer 0 3-4 3, Osbourne 0 0-3 0, Wilson 2 0-0 4, Hall 7 4-6 18, Walton 1 0-0 2.
