Junior Nick Cordova paced the Cougars with a team-high 19 points
on an efficient 7-of-13 from the floor. Sophomore Takoda Bowers
provided stability in the middle, and even hit a 3-pointer from the
top of the key to lend a supportive 14 points.
From a win-loss standpoint, the Christopher High boys varsity basketball team’s three days at the Los Gatos Wildcats Tournament last week didn’t meet the expectations the players have for themselves.
But head coach Kaden Bahner time and time again has emphasized his club’s resiliency. And Instead of letting the three losses of 15-points or more discourage them, the Cougars used the humbling experience to fix what went wrong.
With adjustments made, the Cougars snapped a four-game skid with a 59-53 victory over visiting Gonzales on Tuesday.
“I think it was a big learning weekend for us,” Bahner said of the tournament. “I have to be honest, playing those games, as tough as they were, I think the challenge and pressure that we felt helped us tonight in dealing with the half-court trap that we saw at times.”
Despite the Cougars leading wire-to-wire, the Spartans kept things interesting thanks in large part to sharpshooter Tony Perez.
Perez posted a game-high 25, including five 3-pointers, three of which coming in the fourth quarter.
“We went to a straight up man defense late in the game because he was getting too many open windows,” Bahner said. “Jorge Ramos and Andrew Foster split the role of trying to pinch that guy.”
The Spartans cut a 12-point lead to six (54-48) with three minutes to play in the final period, but the Cougars did their part in making free throws as the gap stood steadfast at six the rest of the way.
“It was a gritty win and we will take any win we can get right now,” Bahner said.
Junior Nick Cordova paced the Cougars with a team-high 19 points on an efficient 7-of-13 from the floor. Sophomore Takoda Bowers provided stability in the middle, and even hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to lend a supportive 14 points.
“We wanted to get out there quick and get off to a good start in the first quarter,” Bowers said of the Cougars’ mindset heading into the non-league contest.
CHS hit their stride from the starting whistle, coasting out to a 12-2 advantage midway through the first. The Spartans chipped away at the lead and sliced the deficit to 13-7 with two minutes to go before Ryan Fredricks hit a hot streak, scoring six of the Cougars’ next eight points as the quarter closed with the home team up 21-12.
The Cougars led by as many as 15 in the second quarter after Foster and Peter Hilkene contributed a bucket each. The Spartans clawed back to within four in the third before Cordova, cool and calm, drilled two straight shots from beyond the arc late in the period. Wyatt Rocheleau pushed the lead back up to 12 into the fourth.
“We are starting to work together better,” Bowers said. “We have to learn to keep our leads and not get lazy.
Up next for the Cougars (3-5) in the annual Bob Hagen Memorial Tournament held at Gilroy High School. CHS opens bracket play at 5 p.m. Thursday against Harbor.
Junior Varsity:
Brad Sigl hit a game-winning buzzer-beater to lift the JV Cougars past Gonzales 51-50 on Tuesday night.
Freshmen:
The CHS freshman basketball team also won on Tuesday, stopping the Spartans 60-16.
