Salinas
– The smallest girl on the basketball court was the biggest
offensive weapon.
While Gilroy did a good job of neutralizing Dominique Hill and
Briana Mathews, Edthel Lugo was lethal in North Salinas’ 46-29 win
Tuesday that locked up at least a share of the Tri-County Athletic
League title for the Vikings.
Salinas – The smallest girl on the basketball court was the biggest offensive weapon.
While Gilroy did a good job of neutralizing Dominique Hill and Briana Mathews, Edthel Lugo was lethal in North Salinas’ 46-29 win Tuesday that locked up at least a share of the Tri-County Athletic League title for the Vikings.
The second-place Mustangs can still tie North Salinas at the top. But the Vikings won both matchups between the teams.
“We prepared all week long to stop Lugo,” GHS coach James Wilkins said. “We didn’t engineer it. Once she starts to shoot, she will continue to shoot.”
The 5-0 sophomore misfired on four of her first five shots. But once she found the range, she was the catalyst for North Salinas (17-4 overall, 9-0 TCAL). Lugo was the only Viking in double figures with 20 points and she also handed out three assists.
“Coach says if you’re open, shoot it,” Lugo said. “I never give up. If I miss, I think my next shot is going to go in. I thought we played good defense. If you play good defense, the offense will come.”
The North Salinas man-to-man defense bothered Gilroy (15-5, 6-3). After Vanessa Wilkins opened the game by driving the lane for a layup, the Mustangs missed their next 19 shots, falling behind 17-3. Lugo had eight of the points. Gilroy went 11:33 between its first and second field goals.
The Mustangs got within eight points (26-18) to open the third quarter when Rowena Tabilas scored on a nifty backdoor assist from Wilkins. But Lugo and Audrey Sanchez scored all the points in an eight-point run that put the game away for the Vikings, who have won 10 straight.
“Our game plan was solid man-to-man defense,” North Salinas coach Darren Jackson said. “I think we wore them down. Their shots weren’t falling, but I think our defense had something to do with that.”
Hill and Mathews, the second and fourth leading scorers in TCAL, had seven points apiece. Hill led the Vikings with 12 rebounds.
The Mustangs struggled with their shooting all night, finishing 11-of-54. They did have a 47-37 advantage in rebounding. Dana Schoeneman led GHS with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Russhelle Preeshl had eight points and 12 rebounds. And flu-stricken Vanessa Wilkins had 10 rebounds.
“It’s right back to the drawing board,” James Wilkins said. “I told the girls after the game do not hang your heads. We have a ballgame Thursday (at Alvarez).
“This year, North Salinas got the best of us. That’s not our main concern now. We need to not falter any more. We have to think about it and then let it go.”
Sub varsity: North Salinas earned a sweep for the night. Melbourie Muyco hit a trey at the buzzer to lift the Vikings’ junior varsity to a 38-35 win in overtime. North Salinas’ freshmen handed Gilroy just its second defeat of the season, 36-31.
Gilroy (29)-Tabilas 2, Schoeneman 11, A. Spellman 2, L. Spellman 0, Wilkins 3, Preeshl 8, Silveira 3, Magill 0. Totals 11 7-14 29.
North Salinas (46)-Lugo 20, Klug 0, Cano 2, Mathews 7, Dacpono 0, Sanchez 7, Hill 7, B. Abbott 3, G. Abbott 0, Cervania 0, Winfield 0. Totals 18 4-10 46.
Gilroy 3 13 6 7- 29
North Salinas 11 15 13 7 – 46
3-point goals: NS, Lugo 4, Mathews, Sanchez.
