Jeremy Dirks believes Tuesday’s game at San Lorenzo Valley was a
character-builder.
Pulling out a 60-57 overtime victory over the Cougars, Gilroy
High’s boys basketball team improved to 5-3 on the season and, in
the process, gave its coach some encouragement that the Central
Coast Section playoffs might not be beyond the Mustangs’ reach.
FELTON – Jeremy Dirks believes Tuesday’s game at San Lorenzo Valley was a character-builder.
Pulling out a 60-57 overtime victory over the Cougars, Gilroy High’s boys basketball team improved to 5-3 on the season and, in the process, gave its coach some encouragement that the Central Coast Section playoffs might not be beyond the Mustangs’ reach.
“I thought it was a good win,” Dirks said. “It was a hostile crowd, it was in overtime, but I thought it was a morale booster (for the players) because it showed they can weather the storm.
“I’m proud of the guys.”
The Mustangs got out to a 27-16 lead by halftime through an effective full-court press. Dirks pulled his players back to start the third quarter, which the coach later admitted was a mistake. SLV (3-5) ended up outscoring Gilroy 25-14 to tie the game at 41-all entering the fourth quarter.
Both teams scored 11 in the final period, leading to overtime. The Mustangs returned home with the win by outscoring their opponents 8-5 in the final five minutes.
Tyler Hartman led the way for Gilroy with 18 points and 12 rebounds. He also had three steals and two assists. Elijah Harrell posted 12 points, four steals and three assists, and Greg Hamik rounded out the Mustangs’ double-figure scorers with 10 points to go with six rebounds.
Gilroy’s Max Fishler had eight points and rebounds, respectively, and Dolapo Opere continued to provide a spark off the bench with four points and five rebounds.
Raul Quintanar scored five points, Neil Azcueta had two and Michael Hartman made a free throw to round out all Gilroy scorers.
Dirks gave credit to the Cougars’ style of play and crowd for making it especially tough on his players.
“They’re a scrappy bunch of guys,” he said. “Very hostile crowd, too. It was a good crowd. They’re a small mountain town so their community really gets behind their sports.”
With five victories already in the till, Dirks is hoping his team can match last year’s win total of eight before the Mustangs even begin Tri-County Athletic League play. Doing so would give Gilroy an excellent chance of making the Central Coast Section playoffs after a one-year absence.
“I want to get eight wins in the preseason, minimum, because that would get us in CCS,” Dirks said. “In my opinion, we’re not more talented than last year’s team by any means. Maybe the schedule worked more in our favor, but I looked at last year and it’s about the same caliber of teams.”
Gilroy will host the Bob Hagen Memorial Tournament this week and then wrap up the preseason by playing in the Sobrato Tournament starting Dec. 27.
The Mustangs’ first-round matchup for Bob Hagen will take place Thursday at 8 p.m. against Live Oak (1-4).
