Gilroy falls 55-42 against athletic Oak Grove
San Jose – A fast start may not be essential to victory, but it sure helps a team’s confidence level.
Oak Grove knew that it was facing its toughest test of the young season. The unbeaten Eagles were certainly up for the challenge.
Using superior quickness and accurate marksmanship, Oak Grove used a big first quarter as the impetus to a 55-42 win Tuesday over the Mustangs.
“The first couple of minutes to me were just about the story of the game,” GHS coach Bud Ogden said. “They came out aggressively and saw we couldn’t handle (their pressure). Their confidence grew as we wilted.”
The Eagles (6-0) made 9 of their first 11 shots in racing to a 21-6 lead. Meanwhile, the Mustangs turned the ball over 12 times in the first 5 1/2 minutes. It was a lethal combination, fueled by Oak Grove’s pressure defense.
Leading the charge was the smallest of the Eagles, Stacy Long, who didn’t score a point. And yet the quicksilver 5-8 junior guard was the point man on the press and handed out six assists.
“He’s the one who makes us go,” Oak Grove coach Rich Young said of Long. “We knew our defensive pressure was the key to winning. We wanted to really pressure their guards and when the big players got the ball to make them take tough shots over us.”
The plan worked to perfection. Gilroy (4-4) turned the ball over 30 times with Kelly Kaigler coming away with six steals. Kaigler and Marshawn Landrine shared scoring honors with 16 points apiece. Tyree McCrary, an athletic 6-7 junior, had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Three of his five field goals were on slam dunks.
“Their big guys were quicker than ours,” said Gilroy junior Marshad Johnson, who had 10 rebounds. “Once they got the momentum, you could see their confidence grow.”
The Mustangs did make a run at the Eagles, scoring the last five points of the first half to slice the deficit to 32-24 as Kevin Siha hit a trey and Spencer Ford scored inside.
Kameron Handy’s free throw to start the third quarter got Gilroy within seven, but the Mustangs made just 1 of 11 shots in the third quarter to fall behind 45-29.
Ford had 10 points and eight rebounds. Destry Jones came off the bench to score eight points and had six rebounds. Javin Charlot had five steals. Gilroy, which got limited minutes from Jason Conrad because of illness, was 15 of 46 from the field.
“I thought Destry and Derek Jensen played well off the bench,” said Ogden, who eventually went with a smaller lineup to counter Oak Grove’s quickness.
But GHS was unable to make any sustained runs at any time during the game.
The Mustangs will try and halt their three-game losing streak when they host the Bob Hagen Memorial Tournament beginning Thursday. GHS opens with Pajaro Valley at 8am.
Sub-varsity: Gilroy (5-1) got 18 points from Kendrick Azcueta and 10 points and six rebounds from Jamie Jensen in a 45-33 win over Oak Grove.
The GHS freshmen (5-4) eased past the Eagles 48-32.
Gilroy (42)-Siha 3, Handy 5, Martinez 2, Harrell 0, Ford 10, Charlot 2, Jensen 2, Johnson 4, Dobson 2, Jones 8, Conrad 4. Totals 15 11-19 42.
Oak Grove (55)-Kaigler 16, Landrine 16, McCrary 10, Lutz-paap 8, Long 0, Sam 2, Forrest 2, Carr 3. Totals 21 10-16 55.
Gilroy 10 14 5 13 – 42
Oak Grove 21 11 13 12 – 55
3-point goals: Gil, Siha. OG, Lutz-paap 2, Kaigler.
