Gilroy
– Spencer Ford never thought it would come down to his tip-in
with four seconds left.
Gilroy – Spencer Ford never thought it would come down to his tip-in with four seconds left.
He was just happy to be in the right place at the right time. It was that way most of the game Friday for Ford, who turned in a monster performance with 28 points and 26 rebounds in Gilroy’s pulsating 75-73 win over Alvarez.
“That’s what we’ve been expecting from him all year long,” Bud Ogden said. “He was active and played a great game.”
Gilroy (17-7 overall, 7-3 TCAL) carried a 57-41 lead into the fourth quarter of Homecoming and then had to survive a 32-point spree by the over-achieving Eagles. James Smith was on fire with 10 of his season-high 22 points. Harvey Todd, who also scored 22 points, had three big assists in the quarter to thwart the Mustangs, who were playing help defense when he had the ball.
“It would have been nice to have won this one,” said Alvarez coach Mark Haddan, who has engineered a remarkable turnaround this season. “The big man (Ford) had a great game against us at our place and I think it motivated him tonight. But I thought (Javin) Charlot was the difference at the end with his ability to beat our guys downcourt.”
It didn’t figure to be that close in the end in a game in which the Eagles (12-11, 5-6) never led. Ford was one point away from a double-double when he converted a three-point play with 2:28 left in the first period for a 15-6 lead. After a Smith foul shot, Jason Conrad, who also had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, keyed an eight-point run that put Gilroy ahead 23-7.
The Mustangs maintained a double-digit lead until there were six minutes left in the game. Smith’s trey with two minutes left brought Alvarez even at 66 before Conrad hit a basket and Charlot made a trey to restore a five-point lead. But Gilroy hurt itself by missing the front end of three 1-and-1s at the end. Ford followed one of those misses with his tip with 12 seconds left that made it 75-71 and provided the winning points.
“I never had a game like this before,” said Ford, who had 13 points in the fourth period. “It wouldn’t have mattered if we lost. I thought everyone stepped up and played hard. Alvarez played real hard and made it a thriller at the end.”
Charlot, playing with an aching back, had 10 points and five assists. Lorenzo Dobson was a force inside with 15 rebounds and four blocked shots. GHS shot well, making 33 of 64 from the field led by Ford at 13 of 21. And the Mustangs had a 66-25 advantage on the boards. But they turned the ball over 23 times.
“They controlled the boards,” said Haddan. “Sometimes, hustle makes up for height.”
Nobody personified that more than the 5-10 Smith, who was all over the court in the fourth period and was never afraid to challenge the bigger Mustangs inside.
“I wish our guys played as hard as he does,” Ogden said of Smith. “I think it helps us to be in a close game because these are the type of games there will be in the playoffs. With the big crowd and the way (Alvarez) played, it was a playoff-like atmosphere.”
The second-place Mustangs have two more regular-season games before the playoffs. Their next game is at 7pm Wednesday at Salinas.
Sub-varsity: Preston Juarez made seven treys and had 27 points as the Alvarez junior varsity upended Gilroy 56-43. Justin Wheat had a team-high nine points for the Mustangs.
The GHS freshmen got 13 points apiece from Greg Hamik, Chritos Louvis and Neal Dinsmore in a 68-59 win.
Alvarez (73)-Baker 3, Morales 0, Lopez 2, Radzach 2, Rubio 2, Smith 22, Fisher 0, Rodriguez 13, Todd 22, Rhyans 7, Casaleno 0. Totals 28 10-20 73.
Gilroy (75)-Siha 3, Handy 8, Martinez 2, Harrell 0, Dobson 2, Ford 28, Charlot 10, Jensen 9, Tomasetti 0, Conrad 13. Totals 33 7-18 75.
Alvarez 7 18 16 32 – 73
Gilroy 21 18 18 18 – 75
3-point goals: Alvarez, Smith 2, Todd 2, Rodriguez 2, Rhyans. GHS, Siha, Charlot.
