At the rate the Christopher High and Monterey boys basketball
teams were knocking down shots, it appeared at times neither squad
could miss during a Monterey Bay League clash.
At the rate the Christopher High and Monterey boys basketball teams were knocking down shots, it appeared at times neither squad could miss during a Monterey Bay League clash.
However, backed by the dialed-in outside shooting of Toreadors’ guard Leon Jordan and company, Monterey spoiled the Cougars’ home finale 91-73 on Tuesday night.
“There’s not much that I can say because I feel like we were prepared,” CHS head coach Kaden Bahner said. “For us to play that type of game and for them to shoot it that well, when stuff like that’s happening It’s just one of those things. Seventy-three points against a team like that will keep us in most games. I can’t say enough about how well the kids played.”
The Cougars manufactured four solid quarters of 17, 21, 17 and 18. Conversely, the Toreadors ability to score from the outside and inside with their big men, cause the Cougars’ defense to switch tactics.
“We tried two different defenses,” Bahner said. “The kids tried everything.”
Jordan hit 6-of-9 from beyond the arc and finished with game-high 22 points while Cougars’ guard Andrew Foster posted a team-high 20 points, including 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
“We’ve had times this year where it seemed like we just didn’t show up for a quarter,” Bahner said. “So we have tried to focus on just playing a good four quarters and I think we did that tonight.
The Cougars trailed 20-17, after the first quarter using a quick four points in the last 10 seconds on free throws from Foster and a steal and lay-up from Nick Cordova to stay within three points.
There was no rest for the weary in an up-tempo second quarter as both teams sprinted up and down the court at will.
The Cougars (8-15, 4-7 MBL) trailed by as many as nine in the period but continued to hit shots when they needed and narrowed the gap to two points following a Cordova 3-pointer with a minute to play before break. Chris Russo, who had 13 points, countered with five straight to push the margin back to seven. A pair of Takoda Bowers free throws with 10 seconds left sent it to 43-38 where and a manageable five-point deficit at the half. Or so it seemed.
However, Russo hit an off-balance 3-pointer from way beyond the arc at the buzzer to propel the Toreadors up by eight.
“We didn’t close out on the ball,” said point guard DJ Campos, who had six points. “We were a little less aggressive in the second half and didn’t get to the free throw line.”
Both teams continued to light up the scoreboard in the second half, but because the Toreadors maintained their accuracy from the field, despite the Cougars offensive prowess the gap never tightened.
“Looking at where we were at the beginning of the basketball season, we had such a hard time competing against teams just like this one. Now we are competing,” Bahner said. “The kids are starting to develop a confidence with that.”
Cordova finished with 12 points, Bowers had nine, Peter Hilkene contributed eight and Luke Laguna and Wyatt Rocheleau had seven apiece.
The Cougars wrap up the regular season against Monte Vista Christian (12-13, 7-4 MBL) on Thursday before the league tournament kicks off Monday, the winner of that receives and automatic bid into the section playoffs.
