A 21-point third quarter propelled Gilroy past Live Oak 48-18 in
the season opener for both teams Tuesday.
By Cheeto Barrera Staff Writer
Morgan Hill – A 21-point third quarter propelled Gilroy past Live Oak 48-18 in the season opener for both teams Tuesday.
The Mustangs opened the game with a 6-0 run early that led to a 14-4 first quarter and never trailed.
Gilroy’s offense stalled in the second quarter, hitting just 2-of-16 shots and going 3-of-6 from the line. The Mustangs in several instances found themselves under the net trying to flip the ball into the net, but missed on most attempts.
Despite the poor shooting, Gilroy was able to box out the Acorns to keep them from getting second shots.
“The rebounding was huge,” said senior forward Dana Schoeneman, who had six points on the night. “If we didn’t rebound, the score would have been much closer.”
Gilroy was led by Vanessa Wilkins and Stephanie Solorio who each collected a team-leading 11 points.
The rebounding, along with another four-point effort in the second quarter from Live Oak, kept the Mustangs in the lead 21-8.
When Gilroy came out of the locker room, the Mustangs went 8-of-15 from the field and 5-of-7 from the line to double their first-half scoring output.
The defense also held Live Oak to five points, allowing just five shots and two points from the field. Gilroy finished the game 19-of-58 from the field.
“We told ourselves that we needed to pick it up in the second half,” Solorio said. “We just had to start communicating and working as a team.”
Gilroy coach James Wilkins said it wasn’t so much Gilroy’s rebounding that kept the team in the lead as it was that Live Oak couldn’t make shots that would have given the Acorns momentum.
“They had a lot of good looks,” Wilkins said of the Acorns, who shot just 7-of-42. “If they were able to knock down some of those shots, it would have been a much different game.”
Gilroy (48): Wilkins 11, Solorio 11, Schoeneman 6, Preeshl 6, Silveria 5, A. Spellman 5, Magil 2, L. Spellman 2. Totals 19 10-17 48.
Live Oak (18): Gulla 8, Moore 4, Goodere 3, Sutton 2, Watanabe 1. Totals 7 3-8 18.
Gilroy 14 7 21 6 – 48
Live Oak 4 4 5 5 – 18
3-point goals – Live Oak: Goodere
