Demo
    News

    Rancho Christian boys basketball team wins battle with Rancho Verde – Press Enterprise

    By No Comments9 Mins Read

    [ad_1]

    MORENO VALLEY – If victory against a top team is the destination, this is not the recommended travel route. Somehow, though, Rancho Christian found its way.

    Shaking off a dismal start, the Eagles took over the game late in the first half and battled their way to a 58-52 victory over Rancho Verde to take sole possession of the Ivy League lead.

    “We always say we’ve got to punch first,” Rancho Christian coach Ray Barefield said. “We didn’t punch first. We got punched.”

    Hitting just two baskets in the first seven minutes, the Eagles (11-8, 3-0 in league) were staring at a 17-4 deficit and were in danger of letting the game get away before they got untracked. Led by senior forward Kevin Patton, Rancho Christian reeled the contest back in.

    Patton outscored Rancho Verde 14-11 in the second quarter, as the Eagles pulled with two points at halftime.

    After Rancho Verde (12-8, 3-1) extended it to an eight-point lead, Patton scored 11 points in a 16-0 run that put Rancho Christian ahead to stay.

    Shut out in the first quarter, Patton finished with 29 points on 12 of 21 shooting from the field.

    “He’s tall and extremely athletic,” Rancho Verde coach Johnny Dukes said of Patton. “He kind of does a little bit of everything. I was willing to live with him getting jump shots. But you go over your scouting report and say, ‘This guy isn’t really a shooter.’ But once he hits two, that goes out the window. He’s a shooter.

    “I wasn’t a great shooter. But I know if I got a dunk or free throws, that made my three-ball a lot easier to fall. And he’s actually a similar player to what I was.”

    Patton hit only one 3-pointer but hurt the Mustangs from all over the court, making long twos, shots from the key and putting the ball on the floor to get to the rim.

    “We made some adjustments,” Patton said. “They (Rancho Verde) were really keying on the drive and kick. So we started calling different plays, giving them different looks and different actions, on and off the ball.”

    Down eight early in the fourth, Rancho Verde didn’t go away quietly. The Mustangs were down just three halfway through the period, but Rancho Christian turned to 6-foot-11 post player Martin Gumwel to seal the deal.

    Gumwel had just one basket through the first three quarters, but he made the Eagles’ final four field goals.

    “He’s a big part of our focus,” Patton said. “Getting that interior presence makes it a lot easier for the rest of us.”

    Dukes lamented his team’s turnovers, but ultimately pointed to Patton as the difference.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

    Share.

    Related Posts

    Add A Comment

    Comments are closed.