Lady Mustangs fall on final play in 49-48 loss to N.
Salinas.
GILROY – Fourteen seconds remained in the Gilroy High girls basketball team’s Friday night match-up against league-foe North Salinas – which maintained a one-point edge since a Monica Abbott lay-up with 1:01 showing.
The Lady Mustangs already had three trips down the court with a chance to take the lead or tie – but came up short all three times.
Once senior forward Jenn Olvera (12 points) ripped down a rebound off a second straight North Salinas missed free throw, she immediately called a time-out to set up Gilroy’s final opportunity.
“We wanted to run one of our plays,” first-year head coach Kari Williams said. “Laura Hennessee comes around and if the shot was there, she takes it. It really doesn’t matter who takes the shot, but that’s what it was designed for.”
Starting underneath their own basket, Hennessee (team-high 21 points) inbounded to sophomore teammate Michelle DiFiore – who passed the ball right back to the Lady Mustangs’ senior captain. Hennessee dribbled past half-court to the three-point line – where she was met by a double team. With no clean look to the basket, Hennessee dished to teammate Sarah Miller in the corner. Miller turned to the basket – receiving a bump by Abbott that caused her to lose her balance and fall out of bounds.
The official, however, did not call a foul – which would have sent Miller to the free-throw line with two seconds left. Instead, the official signaled a change in possession to North Salinas – signaling that Miller simply stepped out of bounds under her own power.
“Miller was shoved out of bounds and they don’t call it,” said WIlliams, following Friday’s 49-48 heartbreaking loss to North Salinas. “We had our shots. We had two or three down there that went in and out, in and out.
“We can’t blame it on the final play,” the coach added. “That’s what happens in one-point games – you look back to the first and second quarters.”
The entire first half was plagued by turnovers and sloppy decision-making from both teams as Gilroy trailed 27-23 at the break.
“We were a little off in the guard area. We were forcing it when it wasn’t there and trying to get a layup when it wasn’t there,” Williams said. “In the second half and the third quarter, we started to take care of the ball.”
The Lady Mustangs (1-3 in T-CAL, 12-9 overall) looked to be in control late when Hennessee drained a three-pointer to give her squad a 45-41 edge with 4:43 left. But North Salinas battled back – eventually taking a 47-46 lead on a Alexis Villarin trey with 2:20 remaining.
“Every little shot counted even at the end. It was a tough one to take,” said Olvera, obviously disappointed with the final outcome. “After losing this game, we know what we have to do and what to expect. I think we should come back even harder.”
Two Olvera free throws regained the one-point lead for the Lady Mustangs, but an Abbott lay-up returned the one-point lead to North Salinas.
Gilroy turned the ball over on its next possession – but senior guard Danell Dow stripped the ball out and Olvera picked up the loose ball. On the same possession, Dow dished inside to DiFiore – who passed off to Olvera for an inside look. Olvera’s shot did not fall, but she grabbed the rebound and was tied up by North Salinas’ Maryann Gueucio. The Lady Mustangs retained the ball since the possession arrow was in their favor.
On the inbound play, Dow found Hennessee – who was off target on her shot. DiFiore grabbed the rebound, but her putback attempt in the paint that looked good rimmed out. North Salinas got the rebound and Jennifer Patterson was immediately fouled.
Patterson missed both – giving Gilroy a final chance. But the Lady Mustangs did not get a shot off before the official’s questionable no-call on Miller in the corner.
“You have to give North Salinas credit, they did come back,” said Williams, whose squad returns to action Feb. 5 on the road against neighboring rival Live Oak at 7 p.m.
