The Central Valley High JV boys basketball team faced Johansen, a team it routed twice earlier this season, in the consolation championship of the Oakdale Rotary Holiday Classic on Friday.
“We knew it was going to be a close game,” Hawks forward Tony Marques said. “They knew what we were going to run.”
Marques scored a season-high 19 points to lead Central Valley to a 63-56 victory over the Vikings (3-9). He had the flu but it didn't slow him down.
The Hawks (12-3) finished in fifth place at the 16-team tournament with a 3-1 record. They beat the Ripon Christian Knights and Central Catholic Raiders handily. Central Valley barely lost to the Los Banos Tigers.
“We know we're better than this,” Marques said.
Central Valley's Sean McLeod, Yama Noorzai and Trevor Mew scored 17, 12 and 11 points, respectively, against Johansen.
Julian Brooks, Adam Rodriguez and Luis Garcia had 15, 13 and eight points apiece for the Vikings, who buried a season-high six 3-pointers. Brooks made three.
Johansen outscored Central Valley 32-28 in the first half.
“Everything they threw up went in,” Hawks assistant coach Mike Holiday said. “They were hot.”
A 10-2 run in the fourth quarter turned a 47-46 deficit into a 56-49 lead for the Hawks at the 2:31 mark. McLeod converted two layups. Mew knocked down a six-footer. Noorzai buried a 3-pointer from the left baseline. Marques made one of two free throws.
Then Central Valley watched Johansen close the gap in a hurry. Mureed Abraham's steal and layup capped a 7-2 run and pulled the Vikings within two, 58-56, with 1:05 left.
The Hawks sealed the win by making five of seven free throws in the final 47.4 seconds. Mew converted three of four foul shots. Marques buried two.
Central Valley also forced two turnovers and held Johansen scoreless in the final minute. - By DALE BUTLER /Staff reporter of the Ceres (Calif.) Courier
“We knew it was going to be a close game,” Hawks forward Tony Marques said. “They knew what we were going to run.”
Marques scored a season-high 19 points to lead Central Valley to a 63-56 victory over the Vikings (3-9). He had the flu but it didn't slow him down.
The Hawks (12-3) finished in fifth place at the 16-team tournament with a 3-1 record. They beat the Ripon Christian Knights and Central Catholic Raiders handily. Central Valley barely lost to the Los Banos Tigers.
“We know we're better than this,” Marques said.
Central Valley's Sean McLeod, Yama Noorzai and Trevor Mew scored 17, 12 and 11 points, respectively, against Johansen.
Julian Brooks, Adam Rodriguez and Luis Garcia had 15, 13 and eight points apiece for the Vikings, who buried a season-high six 3-pointers. Brooks made three.
Johansen outscored Central Valley 32-28 in the first half.
“Everything they threw up went in,” Hawks assistant coach Mike Holiday said. “They were hot.”
A 10-2 run in the fourth quarter turned a 47-46 deficit into a 56-49 lead for the Hawks at the 2:31 mark. McLeod converted two layups. Mew knocked down a six-footer. Noorzai buried a 3-pointer from the left baseline. Marques made one of two free throws.
Then Central Valley watched Johansen close the gap in a hurry. Mureed Abraham's steal and layup capped a 7-2 run and pulled the Vikings within two, 58-56, with 1:05 left.
The Hawks sealed the win by making five of seven free throws in the final 47.4 seconds. Mew converted three of four foul shots. Marques buried two.
Central Valley also forced two turnovers and held Johansen scoreless in the final minute. - By DALE BUTLER /Staff reporter of the Ceres (Calif.) Courier
