Mustang hoops finish in fourth after falling to Live Oak in
semis and Aptos in consolation finals
GILROY – Live Oak and Aptos gave the host Gilroy Mustangs a one-two punch over the weekend to leave the Mustangs walking away with the fourth-place honors in the 24th annual Bob Hagen Tournament.
Eventual champion Live Oak cruised past the Mustangs 45-32 Friday night, while the Aptos Mariners held on to defeat Gilroy 51-43 Saturday afternoon.
Gilroy’s Brandt Chacon, who cooled off after Thursday’s 36-point effort with pedestrian totals of 15 and 16 markers in each of the next two games, still dominated play enough to secure a spot on the all-tournament team.
Gilroy’s junior varsity won that portion of the event, completing the weekend with wins over Live Oak (46-31) and Aptos (57-51). Ryan Chisolm was the top scorer in each game (12, 12 and 14) for Gilroy and was tabbed the Most Valuable Player. Gilroy’s Adam Supnet was an all-tourney recipient.
Live Oak shot to a 14-5 lead after one period and were never challenged in Friday’s battle of South County rivals.
The Mustangs teased early, as Kyle Loving scored his only two points of the game on a 13-footer and Chacon buried a three-pointer for a 5-4 Gilroy lead with 3:45 left in the first quarter.
Live Oak’s all-tourney trio of Doug Porras, Steven Conner and Joel Wright responded to the Gilroy lead. Porras finished off an Acorn play with a layup, Conner beat the Gilroy defense downcourt for a layup and tourney MVP Wright converted a 3-pointer and a fast break off the Acorns front-court pessure for a 13-5 lead.
Porras hit a 3-pointer and an eight-footer as the Acorns held a 22-15 halftime lead. Gilroy was limited to three points in the third period, trailing 34-18. Gerrad Gamm made a layup and two points in the fourth period for the Mustangs.
“The key in the second half was our defense,” Live Oak coach Brett Paolucci said of the Acorns’ maintenance of the lead.
“Chacon’s a great player, he’s been keeping them in ballgames. We know their offense runs through him. We had a great team effort. We know that our effectiveness starts with defense.”
“It was almost impossible to initiate any kind of offense,” coach Bud Ogden said of Gilroy’s Friday performance.
“Live Oak had that high pressure on our wings. Some of the kids take too much of a burden upon themselves to do it themselves. We need to be patient, but it’s hard to be patient if you can’t get the offense started.
“I liked the spark our second group came in with,” Ogden continued. “Jarrell Morales went to the basket hard, was really quick. Mark Good (nine rebounds in as many minutes) was relentless on the boards.”
Good’s nine boards paced the Mustangs. Kyle Warren pulled down six rebounds, Mark Kenndy and Ben Hemeon five apiece.
The Mustangs held the lead twice in the third period against the Mariners, then could not make one field goal in the game’s final seven minutes.
The 26 per cent shooting from the floor left the Mustangs with a second straight loss on the home floor. Chacon, again, was the lone Gilroy scorer in double figures. Warren scored nine points, reserve Adam Moon eight for the Mustangs.
“The kids still played hard,” said Ogden of Saturday’s setback. “There were a couple of key plays, like not blocking out on a free throw that gave them another possession. We could have closed to within three with another score on the other end.
“We executed better than we have,” added Ogden. “We’re still building. Every time we go out is a learning process. They are still trying to learn how I want them to play.”
Kyle Warden scored 20 points against Gilroy and was the lone Aptos member of the all-tourney squad.
Gilroy held the lead for 12 seconds of the first half against the Mariners. Vince Mitre flipped in a 12-foot baseline jumper with 5:12 to go in the first period for a 6-4 advantage. Chacon was limited to four points in the first half as Aptos built a 23-17 lead. Chacon went 0-for-6 behind the three-point arc for the half. Gilroy finished 2-for-17 beyond the arc for the game.
Chacon had a two-minute spurt that accounted for eight consecutive points as Gilroy claimed a 27-25 lead.
Mitre began the 10-0 Gilroy surge with a layup for a 25-19 Aptos advantage. Chacon followed with a slashing layup and two free throws. The Mustang leader caused a steal of the inbounds pass and made a layup to tie the score. Chacon’s two free throws made it 27-25 Gilroy.
Warren gave Gilroy a 30-27 lead with a 3-pointer with 3:50 left in the period. Aptos regrouped for a 37-32 lead entering the fourth period.
Loving paced Gilroy with 11 rebounds against Aptos. Chacon added six, Moon five.
Kevin Zanella of San Benito and Ray Alvarez of North Monterey County each made the all-tourney team. Live Oak trimmed the Condors 60-50 in the finals.
