Publication Date: Friday Feb 6, 1998

PREP ROUNDUP: Paly boys tune up for title

After a frustrating two-game slump a couple of weeks ago, the Palo Alto High boys' basketball team has regained arguably its most valuable asset--aggressiveness. When the Vikings hustle after loose balls, fight through screens and take the ball hard to the basket, they are a very difficult bunch to beat.

Wilcox found that out for the second time this season as Paly (7-1, 15-7) thumped the Chargers, 77-56, Wednesday to remain in a tie atop the SCVAL De Anza Division standings with Milpitas.

Four Vikings scored in double figures as Paly shot 55 percent from the field and connected on eight three-pointers to win its second game in a row in easy fashion.

While there's a first-place showdown against Milpitas (7-1) next Tuesday at Paly, the Vikings can't afford to overlook their game at Los Gatos (2-7) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Paly dismantled Los Gatos on Jan. 15, 73-48.

"It slowly took us a while to pull out (of slump)," said Paly coach Peter Diepenbrock. "And now we're back to being aggressive and doing the things we have to do to be successful."

Paly overlooked crosstown rival Gunn in a one-point nonleague upset loss on Jan. 17, before losing at Milpitas, 56-54, with a lack of urgency and intensity. So, Paly must be focused tonight against the Wildcats, who are itching for an upset.

"I'm worried about Los Gatos, they play hard and they're at home," Diepenbrock said. "It could be very difficult."

On Wednesday, Paly dominated the smaller Chargers (5-3) from the opening tap, jumping out to a 42-22 halftime lead behind 13 points from junior Dave Persyko and 11 points from junior Lucas Danna.

Paly shot 58 percent from the field in the first half as Danna and junior Mike Attaie each nailed three three-pointers apiece.

Danna led Paly with 20 points and Persyko netted 17 points. Senior Ben Selby and Attaie added 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Making Paly's job easier was the absence of Wilcox's 6-foot-8 sophomore center, Patrick Dennehy, out for academic reasons. That forced the Chargers to put a small, but quick, lineup on the floor. Wilcox stayed close, until Paly pulled away with a 20-6 second quarter.

Gunn remained in the hunt for an SCVAL El Camino title with a come- from-behind, 55-49 victory over visiting Monta Vista (0-8) Wednesday.

The Titans (4-4, 12-8) are two games in back of co-leaders Cupertino and Saratoga heading into tonight's key matchup at Saratoga at 7:30 p.m.

Gunn trailed 23-17 at halftime, but rallied to outscore the outmanned Matadors, 37-26 in the second half. Senior Johnnie Gray and junior Jamar Barnett led the Titans with 15 and 13 points, respectively.

Menlo-Atherton (6-2, 13-6) failed to retain sole possession of first place of the Peninsula Athletic League Southern Division after a 68-59 setback to San Mateo (5-3) in Atherton.

Trailing 28-25 at half, M-A couldn't contain San Mateo's 6-5 center Cardell Butler (26 points) and went cold from the perimeter as the Bearcats outscored the Bears, 26-16, in the fourth quarter.

M-A junior Jonathan Harrison, who racked up 20 points through three quarters, didn't score in the fourth. And without starting point guard Willie Caldwell, the Bears couldn't generate enough turnovers to kick in their transition game.

Senior guard William Brown led the Bears with 21 points, including four three-pointers.

M-A attempts to avenge its upset loss to Carlmont three weeks ago, with a date with the Scots tonight in Belmont at 8 p.m. M-A, Woodside and Hillsdale all share the top spot in the PAL South with 6-2 records.

Menlo (7-1, 14-4) remained a game back of league leading Fremont Christian (6-0) in the loss column with a 84-54 whipping of Woodside Priory in a Private Schools Athletic League matchup Wednesday in Atherton.

The Knights led throughout, paced by seniors Dave Nelson and Zach Knox, who tallied 26 and 25 points, respectively. Fellow senior Zach Trailer added 18 points as Menlo outscored Priory, 36-19, in the second half.

Sacred Heart Prep (3-5, 10-10) lost at Redwood Christian on Wednesday, 69-54, despite 25 points from Gators junior Sean Mackinnon.

The Gators couldn't get out of a 34-25 hole at the half and hit on only 14 of 28 free throws.

Pinewood (4-3, 10-10) was scheduled to play Fremont Christian on Tuesday, but the game was cancelled due to weather and is rescheduled for Feb. 11.

Girls basketball

Palo Alto (4-4, 12-9) lost any hope of an SCVAL De Anza Division title with a 58-49 setback to first-place Monta Vista on Tuesday in Palo Alto.

The Vikings, who is 0-4 against the top three De Anza teams (Monta Vista, Homestead and St. Francis), were outscored 29-19 in the second half by Monta Vista despite 14 points from senior Becky Robinson.

Despite Gunn's recent coaching controversy, the Titans (4-5, 9-8) went out and belted visiting Wilcox on Tuesday, 58-51 in SCVAL El Camino Division action, behind 28 points from junior Correnda Perkins.

Sophomore Jacqueline Heler added 21 points as Gunn won the game with a an 18-12 fourth-quarter run.

Menlo-Atherton (4-4, 8-11) failed to rise above the .500 mark in PAL Southern Division play after a discouraging 45-40 loss at last-place San Mateo (1-7, 2-16) Wednesday. Angela Carr-Flowers and Sarah Sacks-Irvine led M-A with 15 and 11 points, respectively.

The Bears scored just one point in the first quarter and were outscored 25-17 in the second half, which enabled San Mateo to win its first league game of the year.

Sacred Heart Prep (5-2, 14-8) remained within striking distance of league-leading St Ignatius (6-0) in the Girls Private School League with an important 43-41 verdict over Sacred Heart Cathedral on Tuesday in San Francisco.

The difference for the Gators was a gutty 15-8 run in the fourth quarter and the superb all-around play of senior Kori Avelino, who tossed in 18 points, including three three-pointers.

Soccer

It's extremely rare to find a third-place team with a perfect 8-0 league record, but that's where you can find the Gunn girls' soccer team in the SCVAL De Anza Division standings.

St. Francis (10-0-1) and Los Gatos (8-0-1) are ahead of Gunn, but the Titans have yet to play either team because of cancellations due to wet weather.

Gunn (8-0, 11-2) still kept its perfect league mark intact with a routine 5-1 drilling of host Saratoga on Wednesday. Callie Withers tallied a pair of goals and had an assist while teammate Rachel Hoffman added two goals in the victory.

Palo Alto (0-8-2, 1-12-2) remained winless in the De Anza Division after a narrow 2-1 setback at Los Altos last Tuesday.

In boys' action, Palo Alto (5-2-2, 8-4-2) fell a game behind first-place Monta Vista (7-2) in the SCVAL De Anza Division after getting shutout by visiting Los Altos, 3-0. 

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