This blog was being typed live during the game. The wireless internet did not stretch all the way to the playing floor, so the blog could not be updated simultaneously. Sorry for the inconvenience.
(29-7) South No. 1 Saddleback Gauchos advance to the
FINAL/OT – Saddleback 62,
OT 0:00 – Jerrel Walker throws in the deep pass off the inbounds and it is intercepted by Franklin Session at center court to seal the game.
OT 0:02.6 – Wallace gets the inbounds and holds the ball. Drives the lane and dishes out to Terrell Mack in the corner. Mack sinks the three-pointer Saddleback leads 62-59.
OT 0:27.8 – T.J. Lipold gets the steal on defense and brings it into the front court. Timeout Saddleback
OT 48.5 – Session gets the block for Saddleback and Wallace is fouled trying to rebound. Wallace goes to the line and hits both shots. Tied once again. The score is 59-59
OT 1:38 – Kyle Wallace is fouled on a shot and goes to the line. Wallace makes both free throws. 59-57 Delta.
OT 2:00 – Session fouls on a steal attempt for Saddleback. His fourth foul. Simi makes both free throws. Its 59-55 Delta.
OT 3:36 – Menner commits the foul for Saddleback. That’s his fifth, and he is out of the game. Simi makes both free throws for Delta. 57-55.
OT 3:57 – Sarunas Jackson makes Saddleback’s first points of overtime. Its 55-55.
OT 4:22 – Walter Jackson makes the first points of the overtime for Delta. 55-33.
OT 5:00 – Overtime tip-off is won by Delta.
END OF REGULATION – Saddleback 59,
2nd Half 0:00 – Delta takes the inbound and makes a long pass for one for desperation shot that misses. And we’re going to overtime.
2nd Half 0:03.1 – Saddleback gets the inbound down to Session who is fouled attempting a three-point shot. Session could tie the game on these free throws. Session makes the first. Session makes the second. Timeout Delta. Session makes the third. It’s tied 53 all.
2nd Half 0:06.9 – Otiono goes to the line for Delta. Timeout Saddleback. Otiono misses the first shot. Timeout Saddleback. Their final timeout. Otiono makes the second. 53-50 Delta.
2nd Half 0:08.4 – Kyle Wallace is fouled shooting a three-pointer and goes to the line. Wallace hits 2 of 3. Saddleback fouls on the rebound. Timeout Delta. 52-50, Delta leads.
2nd Half 0:13.9 – Saddleback fouls. Otiono goes to the line for Delta and hits both free throws. Its 52-48 Delta.
2nd Half 0:24.1 – Wallace goes up for the shot, it gets blocked and thrown off his body out of bounds. It’s Delta ball.
And here…we… go!
2nd Half 0:39.2 – Anthony Simi hits a jumper in the lane and gets Delta the lead, 50-48. Timeout Delta.
2nd Half 1:48 – Delta takes a timeout. It’s getting physical out there. Contrary to the trend early in this second half, the referees have put away their whistles. Still tied at 48.
2nd Half 2:34 – Anthony Simi hits a three pointer for Delta and it is tied at 48 all.
2nd Half 2:57 – Saddleback now has ten fouls and is in the double bonus. Delta has eight fouls and is in the bonus. It’s 48-45 Saddleback
Ladies and gentlemen, suffice to say, the momentum has swung back to the Gauchos. Their shots are falling, their getting the foul calls their way, and they have their early game swagger back. T.J. Lipold is even playing defense with what looks like a confident smirk on his face.
2nd Half 5:20 – Menner fights through the Delta defense and the foul to get his shot to fall. He makes the free throw and it’s a 45-41 Saddleback lead.
2nd Half 6:02 – Kyle Wallace sinks the teardrop in the lane and Saddleback leads 42-41. It’s their first lead since 24-23 in the first half.
2nd Half 7:07 – After a questionable charging call on Session,
2nd Half 8:04 – Kyle Wallace commits the foul for Saddleback, and they enter the bonus foul territory.
2nd Half 9:04 – Session gets the block on defense, collects the ball, and brings it down court for the running layup, and it’s still as close as ever at 39-38, Delta leading. Session is starting to control this game offensively, defensively, and on the boards.
Delta’s coach Rich Ressa just commented that the refs were calling a good game up until a call just now against Glen Miller. I wonder why he thinks that?
2nd Half 11:06 – Billy Azizi just fouled out of the game for the Gauchos. One more foul and they are in the bonus.
I mentioned Menner’s leg pad earlier, and he now appears to be walking with a slight limp. He’s still pushing through it though.
There’s the coach Ground I know. While the whole team looks a bit frustrated, it is always easier to tell on coach Ground, an emotional guy.
2nd Half 14:27 – Session collects the ball at the top of the key and drives to the lane for a thundering dunk. It’s 36-32 Delta.
2nd Half 15:28 – Billy Azizi gets fouled on a complete basket and goes to the line. He misses the shot, but Session collects the rebound in the far corner and slices in for the circus lay-up.
The game is still within reach at 31-26, but Saddleback is looking pretty frustrated out there. The rim is being unkind and the rebounds are falling to Delta. The referees aren’t their best friends as of late either.
2nd Half 16:51 – After hitting nothing but rim in the half, the Gauchos get their first points of the half from
2nd Half 17:38 – Glenn Miller of Delta gets the first points of the half, and its 29-24 Delta
2nd Half 20:00 – Saddleback starts with the ball out of bounds. It’s gut-check time.
Also on the song selection note, who is controlling this? They switch between rap and hip-hop that get you up and going, to easy-flowing Eagles songs and late 70’s and 80’s ballads. And don’t forget some of the intense hard rock selections. I understand appealing to all demographics, but come on.
Nice little coincidence as the Gauchos come back onto the floor, Bon Jovi’s “Wanted: Dead or Alive” is playing and the lyrics “I play for keeps” yells over the sound system as the Gauchos exit the locker room. Good mentality for Saddleback to have in this second half.
HALFTIME –
Just noticed that Kevin Menner is wearing a protective, padded sleeve on his left leg. That wasn’t there last game. Could that be contributing to his slow night so far? It’s hard to tell.
The Gaucho offense has seemed to slow down in the latter part of this first half. Saddleback is resorting to a lot of half-court sets and outside jump shots. The entire energy seems a little tapped. They were putting forth extraordinary effort early, but that could be taking its toll.
1st Half 0:57.3 – Delta converts on the free throws and gets another bucket off the rebound to continue their late half push. It’s 27-24 Mustangs.
1st Half 1:15 – T.J. Lipold gets third foul of the game and is taken out and replaced with Session.
1st Half 1:37 - Glen Miller of Delta sinks one of two free throws to tie it at 24 all.
1st Half 2:36 – Marquis Green silences the crowd with a three pointer from the corner. Gauchos up 24-23.
Ok, I might’ve lied a little bit when I said this was an even crowd. It looked that way in warm-ups. Nope. Delta’s fans have showed up in force now. Delta is making a push and getting the energy from the arena.
1st Half 3:51 – Delta continues pushing it up the floor and into the key for a transition layup by Calvin Otiono to tie the game at 21. Timeout by Saddleback.
1st Half 4:21 – Saddleback continues the defensive pressure and swarms Delta’s
The game may be tight at 19-15 Gauchos, but Saddleback is dominating Delta in the hustle game. They are getting to almost every rebound and almost every loose ball. Effort like that will pay off in the end.
1st Half 7:43 -
1st Half 8:24 – Session is having a rough few minutes as the ball is swatted from his hands going up on the layup. He gets the ball back only to miss the shot again, get his rebound once more, miss, and get the rebound again. It’s rough sailing in the paint for Session.
1st Half 9:44 – After Aaron Woods sinks the first free throw of the game for Saddleback, Session steals the ball after the inbounds and goes up for a dunk. He clanks it off the side of the rim, gets his rebound twice, and has it swatted out of bounds. Nice hustle play, but a little lack of finesse and finish by Session. Quite uncommon for him.
1st Half 10:31 – Billy Azizi locks down in the defensive post and forces a bad shot from Walker, Session with the rebound, and the Gauchos go down the floor for a Menner jump shot, and the Gauchos are on a 9-0 run. 13-6 Gauchos.
1st Half 11:43 – Aaron Woods knocks down the Gauchos first shot from distance tonight and puts Saddleback up 11-7.
Delta has subbed in Jerrel Walker down low. Weighing in at 6’ 5” and 230 lbs, he is the BIG boy of the game.
Saddleback is fighting back now on defense and is matching Delta in aggression, especially down low. They are forcing turnovers on tips and traveling. That looks to be the match-up of the night.
1st Half 14:21 – Kevin Menner sinks his second straight basket of the game. The Gauchos need him to play large again tonight. 7-6 Gauchos.
Delta has been the more aggressive team on offense, so far. Though initially not a lot of shots had been made, they’re starting to fall now. Saddleback has started out strong on the boards this game, unlike the fire drill that was rebounding on Thursday
1st Half 17:13 – Sarunas Jackson gets a block for the Gauchos on defense, and Session gets Saddleback’s first points of the game on a transition lay-up, 3-2 Mustangs.
1st Half 19:40 - Markonio Rutledge of Delta scores the first points of a game on a three-point shot. It’s 3-0 Mustangs.
1st Half 20:00 – Delta wins the tip and this CCCAA State Semifinal is underway.
Pregame
Considering both Saddleback and San Joaquin are a distance away from
South No. 1 Saddleback Gauchos: #4 Kevin Menner, #23 Franklin Session, #24 T.J. Lipold, #12 Kyle Wallace, #33 Sarunas Jackson
North No. 2
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