GHS hoopsters remain perfect with win at North Salinas
Salinas – Finally, a title.
When the buzzer sounded with the scoreboard reading 60-42 in favor of Gilroy Thursday night at North Salinas, the Mustang girls basketball team clinched at least a share of the Tri-County Athletic League title, the first for the girls’ program in 11 years.
And unlike the first time the league’s top two teams met, the Gilroy players were intent on winning convincingly this time around.
“This game, we had to prove we’re the team to beat,” said senior guard Marissa Nowakowski.
Added senior forward Katherine Hussey, Thursday night’s leading scorer with 18 points, “We wanted to come out today and say, ‘This is our game.’ No excuses.”
In the end, Gilroy didn’t have to make any.
The Mustangs (21-4 overall, 10-0 TCAL) scored the first four points of the game and didn’t score again for the next five minutes. During that time North Salinas (19-4, 9-2 TCAL) went ahead 7-4.
But Gilroy came back to make an 11-0 run. Nine of those points were from three-pointers – one from Nowakowski and two from senior point guard Kristen Campos – all from the same spot in the left corner.
Nowakowski, better known as the team’s defensive specialist, frenzied the crowd again in the opening minutes of the second quarter when she made a second trey from that baseline spot to put Gilroy up 20-7.
In addition to making those two clutch shots – her only baskets of the night – the 5-foot-2 senior shut down North Salinas leading scorer Briana Matthews, who is averaging 18 points per game as the TCAL’s leading scorer. Nowakowski held Matthews to six points – a three-pointer and three free throws.
Campos and Hussey felt Nowakowski’s effort was a big reason for the win.
“If (Matthews) had had 20 points, the game would have been completely different,” said Campos, who scored 11 points.
Said Nowakowski, “Coach (Kari) Williams told me what she wanted me to do and I took it to heart. I did what I was supposed to do.”
Once the Mustangs took the double-digit lead in the second, they maintained it. North Salinas never made a significant threat. Gilroy led 25-15 at the break and 43-26 after the third quarter, during which the Mustangs held the Vikings to just two field goals.
After the game, Williams was all smiles, pleased with the all-around team effort she’d just witnessed.
“This is good,” Williams said. “But this didn’t just happen this year.”
Two years ago – the year now-seniors Campos, Hussey and Nowakowski were named starters as sophomores – the team made the Central Coast Section championships, but went 3-7 in league. Last year, the team was beaten easily by Notre Dame twice and finished as the runner-up.
Now, even if the Mustangs lose their remaining two games, they’ll at least tie for the title with the Vikings. Gilroy plays next at Salinas on Tuesday at 7pm.
