Gavilan men’s basketball drops 11th straight game in 65-55 hoem
loss to MPC.
GILROY – The Gavilan men’s basketball team has yet another loss to add to its record – faltering Friday night to Monterey Peninsula College, 65-56, for a season-high 11th consecutive defeat.
“We didn’t come out and play together,” sophomore point guard Jimmy Herrera said. “We dug ourselves a hole and we couldn’t get out of it.”
The first five minutes of the game proved to be the most damaging for the Rams as the Lobos quickly built a 13-0 lead. The Rams tried to fight back with two three-point shots by freshmen Steve Silacci and Jody McAlpine – former teammates at Live Oak High – but the Lobos answered right back with two more buckets.
The teams kept exchanging baskets as a Herrera steal generated a breakaway score – but Monterey ranswered with another scored just seconds later. Althought McAlpine managed another three-pointer with 2:40 left in the half, the Rams were still nine points behind the Lobos at the break with the score at 36-25.
“I thought we had a horrible first five minutes that got us off to a horrible start,” first-year head coach Chris Shoemaker said.
Gavilan picked up its defense to open the second half – scoring the first points, including a three-pointer via freshman sharpshooter Erik Nelson, of Gilroy. The Lobos came right back though, picking up where they left off. The Rams would only score six more times during the second half, with another three-point shot by McAlpine at 5:25.
“Overall, I think we just lacked the intensity to compete in this conference,” Shoemaker said.
McAlpine led the team with 16 points followed by Herrera with 11 and Nelson with seven. The other scorers for Gavilan were freshmen Jimmy Cheatum (six points), Tommy Sondgroth and Dakarai Rhodes, both with four points, Alan Aubuchon (two points), and Maurice Davis (one point).
Gavilan continues conference play on the road Feb. 12 against San Jose City College at 7 p.m.
