The Menlo-Atherton Bears basketball squad (Atherton, CA), went down 42-30 in Saturday's non-league test with the host Los Gatos Wildcats (Los Gatos, CA)
Hello Bears fans it’s game day, CCS Championship version! CCS #3 MA takes on the #1 seed Los Gatos Wildcats down at Mission College!
LG is 18-8 overall this year and an undefeated 12-0 as they steamrolled their league, after last year’s 23-5, 12-0 season
Surprisingly, in 21 years of MaxPreps history, these 2 normally strong CCS schools have met only once, that a 46-47 MA loss back in 2016
At neutral and away sites this year, MA is 11-6, LG 9-3
The Bears are scoring 53ppg to LG’s 52, and giving up 44 to LG’s 43
MA is ranked #12 in CCS, #125 in the state, w a schedule strength of 13.0; LG is 7th, 68th, and SOS of 18.5
They’ve played a number of common opponents this year
MA beat Fremont 58-33 and 45-24, LG beat them 63-32
MA beat Salinas 56-32, LG just beat them on Thursday night 56-35
The Bears lost to Monta Vista 43-68, LG beat them 56-51 on OT and 65-63
MA beat Mills 59-44 and 44-36, LG beat them 60-26
LG started just 3-7 and is 15-1 since, mostly in league, but that’s where their schedule strength comes in
They’ve played state #7, 19, 22, 25, 36, 62, and 63, all ranked above them, as well as close peers 69 & 81. So they’re battle-tested.
And whereas MA started 4-4, they’re 14-3 since! Much of that also in league
They’re PAL champs for the 2nd time in 3 years, in this 6th year of Coach Yob’s success (now 140 games coached), assisted by Brey Johnson
#2 Hillsdale was a D2 #1 seed but has been eliminated; #3 HMB was D4 #2 and is also out; #4 Mills is D3 #2 and plays that championship today
#5 Carlmont was D1 like MA and a #10 seed but is gone. #6 Aragon and #7 Westmoor didn’t qualify.
After today, NorCal brackets will be announced tomorrow/Sunday, late afternoon. Opening round is Tuesday.
The prior game is :35 left in the 4th, Santa Cruz boys 44, Aptos 44 and a very loud gym for these 2 neighbors!
To be followed by their CCS Championship ceremony, then MA girls vs Los Gatos!
Santa Cruz boys beat Aptos 47-44, now a short presentation and on to the girls!
LG was 18-8, but 0-3 when they scored 44 or less, 2-5 when they scored less than 50, and just 5-8 (all 8 of their losses) when scoring <=57
Their 8 losses were to #'s 7, 19, 22, 25, 36, 62, 69, and 81. They beat 63 by just 1. They beat 130 (similar to MA’s #125) by 22.
On the other hand, they beat #183 Lynbrook by only 12, and #227 Salinas by 21 (good news, MA beat Salinas by 24)
They beat #376 Fremont by 31 & 21, MA beat Fremont by 25 & 21
Surprisingly, they beat #447 Los Altos by just 9 & 18, so something about Los Altos’ style or players tripped them up a bit
Lastly, a year ago I saw a 5-19 team play LG at LG, and late in the 3rd that team was down by just 5, and many LG players were on that team
So there are some signs of hope and daylight. That said, LG is the 2nd-highest-ranked opponent MA has played this year, so it will be tough
March Madness is here!
Starting 5: 2 Gray, 3 Sheldon, 24 Ulukivaiola, 30 Guerra Herrera, 33 Amram
Almost ready!
Sko Bears!!
Looks like we may start a few minutes early, even w intros
Here we go!!
6:35 left in the first quarter
6:20
4:30
4:00
3:10
2:30
1:15
:55
:25
As advertised, LG is tough. Guerra Herrera with the lone field goal for MA. Fouls Bears 3, Cougars 1
6:10 left in the half
3:30
2:55
Bears full TO with 2:53 to go
Guerra Herrera and Sheldon have 3 each, Amram and Tava 2 each
Fouls: Bears 8, Wildcats 4. 2 each on Tava and Ulukivaiola
MA got into a huge hole, down 0-7, 2-15 after 1, then 3-21, but woke up and it’s 7-5 since, they just need to sustain that and amp it up!
What’s been surprising to me is that LG hasn’t held opponents to 20 points or less per game, far from it. MA defense has been solid, not O
MA is much stronger than they’ve shown. If they can maintain D & wake up the scoring like they’re capable of, they can claw back into this
Early, the Bears just weren’t getting good shots, too many turnovers and few clear shots. Better since.
MA with 1 3, to LG’s 3
Great Bears fans turnout too, many students, thank you!!
7:15
LG :30 TO with 6:48 left in the 3rd, MA swarming defensively, still need offense to sustain!
6:00, 3 on Ulukivaiola
4:45
LG :30 TO with 4:34 left, MA on a 12-6 run!!
3:37, 3rd on Gray
2:35
1:45
1:45, 3 on Guerra Herrera
1:10
MA is definitely back, just a large deficit to make up, on a 17-10 run!
3 fouls each on Gray, Tava, and Ulukivaiola, need to avoid quick 4ths and fouling out
6:15
LG full TO, 6:15 left!
Bears on a 22-12 run, still a ways to go but definitely can do! GO BEARS!!!
5:35
5:05, MA ball
4:32, injury TO, MA #2 Gray
4:25, 4 on Ulukivaiola
4:01, fouls Bears 3, Wildcats 0
3:05
2:50 MA ball
LG full TO with 2:23 left, fouls MA 3, LG 0
Gray returned to a standing O from Bears fans! Welcome back!!
2 TO for each team
1:51
1:32 MA ball
LG :30 TO with 1:17 and the ball, :25 on the shot clock. They have 1 TO left, MA 2. Fouls Bears 4, Wildcats 0
:50 LG ball
Bears fall, though the 12 points were tied for the 4th-smallest LG Victory of their 18 all year, and what a HUGE, valiant comeback for MA!
Tava 9, Sheldon 6, Amram/Fakapelea 5 each, Guerra Herrera 3, Habibi 2, and maybe 1 I forgot to write down
Now it’s up to the NorCal powers that be, to determine if MA gets an at-large, non-championship bid. TBA late Sunday afternoon!
EB Hoffman with the MA sportsmanship award
MA CCS runner-up, congrats!!
Congrats to LG, CCS champs!
Hope to see you Tuesday from somewhere for more Bears basketball! They boys are in, would be great if the girls are selected too!
Thanks for joining us, have a safe Saturday night, and as always, GO BEARS!!
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