Publication Date: Wednesday, February 09, 2005
PREP BASKETBALL
Paly boys' wild 37-0 run
Paly boys' wild 37-0 run
(February 09, 2005)keys impressive win at Gunn
by Keith Peters
The Palo Alto boys' basketball team has put up some impressive offensive numbers this season, but it was the Vikings' defense that grabbed the spotlight last Friday.
During a 10-minute stretch that included the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth, Paly held rival Gunn scoreless. The Vikings, meanwhile, went on a 37-0 run that buried the host Titans, 69-27, in SCVAL De Anza Division action.
"The defense was just incredible after halftime," said Paly coach Peter Diepenbrock, whose squad double-teamed the ball to open the third period. "We just got steal, after steal, after steal."
Paly (8-0, 21-1) held just a 24-21 halftime lead as reserve sparkplug Martin Mouton sat after missing the team's shootaround earlier in the day. Mouton entered the game in the third quarter and helped spark a Paly defense that forced 18 turnovers and allowed just five shots.
"To say the roof fell in (on Gunn), man, momentum is a powerful thing," Diepenbrock said.
Paly outscored Gunn in the third quarter, 31-0. By the time the Titans (4-6, 11-12) scored with 6:16 left to play, it was 61-23 and 6-foot-5 junior Steven Brown had 17 of his game-high 25 points. Brown made 10 of 12 field goals (83 percent), grabbed six rebounds and had six steals in his best game of the season.
Brian Baskauskas added 11 points and Jeremy Lin contributed 10 assists and seven steals in addition to scoring seven points.
Palo Alto hosts Homestead (4-6) on Wednesday at 7 p.m., and remains two games ahead of Fremont (7-2) in the loss column.
In the Christian Private Schools Athletic League, Eastside Prep (9-0, 20-6) went after the league title Tuesday night against Mountain View Academy. The Panthers won their ninth straight on Saturday, a 45-39 nonleague win at Terra Nova. Senior Derrick Haynie led Eastside with 13 points as the team welcomed back senior Clarence Webster.
Webster, in his first game back after sitting out the first semester due to disciplinary reasons, scored seven points.
"He looked rusty and out of shape," said Eastside Prep coach Chris Bischof, whose team is now deeper and stronger than at any point of the season as it heads into the CPSAL tournament this weekend.
In the PAL North Division, Menlo (9-3, 15-5) regained sole possession of first place with a 60-39 win at El Camino. The Knights can clinch no worse than a tie for the division title by beating either Terra Nova (Tuesday) or Half Moon Bay (Friday). Winning both will give Menlo the outright crown.
Against El Camino, Menlo made 12 of 21 shots in the second half while the Colts were nine of 32. Senior Brandy Bassett led a balanced Menlo attack with 20 points, 12 coming on three-pointers, while sophomore Beau Heidrich scored 12 and junior Blake Schultz added 10.
Girls basketball
Pinewood (16-5) registered a big 62-57 nonleague victory over visiting Marin Catholic on Saturday, with the Panthers showing once again they're the team to beat in the CCS Division V playoffs. Senior guard Daniela Roark came through in the clutch with a 19-point effort while junior Liz Altmaier added 17 points, sophomore Sami Field-Polisso scored 10 and freshman Aly Geppert added nine. Roark and Altmaier each made five three-pointers. The Panthers trailed at the half by 28-26 and pulled away in the fourth quarter.
Pinewood will compete in the Bentley Classic on Saturday, its final test before the CCS tournament begins Feb. 22.
In the SCVAL De Anza Division, Palo Alto (5-4, 15-9) held on to third place with a 40-39 win at Gunn. Recent transfer Gabby Hanson scored five points in her first game as a Viking to help secure the win, making one of two free throws with 3.4 seconds left to wrap it up. Megan Grant scored 15 points to lead Paly, which played without injured starters Amber Jones (ankle) and Bre Clay (knee).
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