State Quarterfinals - Saddleback vs Reedley - "Live" Game Blog

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.

(28-7) South No. 1 Saddleback advances to the CCCAA State Semifinals against (29-5) North No. 2 San Joaquin Delta on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Selland Arena in Fresno.

FINAL – Saddleback 62, Reedley 56

Saddleback Leaders: Points: Kevin Menner – 29; Rebounds: Franklin Session – 11; Assists: Kyle Wallace – 5; Steals: Franklin Session – 5; Blocks: Franklin Session and Sarunas Jackson – Each with 1

Reedley Leaders: Points: Marquel Hoskins – 18, Rebounds: Marquel Hoskins – 9; Assists: Marquel Hoskins – 4; Steals: Justin Ayers – 3; Blocks: None

2^nd Half 0:00.1 – The ball goes out of bounds and this one is over.

2^nd Half 0:34.7 – Reedley begins the foul parade with Kevin Menner, who hits both and puts Saddleback up 61-54.

2^nd Half 0:43.7 - #20 Marquel Hoskins hits a pair of shots, a two and a three, to bring Reedley within five at 59-54.

2^nd Half 1:08 – T.J. Lipold puts in a running lay-up to put the Gauchos ahead 57-51.

It seems we’re not the only ones with the team spirit. Riverside City College’s band and a student section (obviously bussed up).

2^nd Half 1:53 – Session of Saddleback and Vaughn of Reedley both dive onto the floor for the loose ball which ends up out of bounds. It’s Saddleback’s ball and they take a timeout.

2^nd Half 2:31 – Reedley foul on #20 Marquel Hoskins. It’s their tenth team foul and that puts the Tigers into the double-bonus. Session hits one of the two ensuing free throws. 53-51 Gauchos.

2^nd Half 2:57 – A pair of Gauchos, Wallace and Session, fall hard to the floor with on of Reedley’s players, but hang on of the jump ball. Reedley possession. 52-51 Saddleback lead.

2^nd Half 3:53 – Reedley’s Marquel Hoskins puts in the basket and we have a tie game, 50-50, in the waning minutes of this game. Hold on.

2^nd Half 4:24 – Reedley commits their seventh team foul and enter the bonus foul territory. Saddleback’s foul trouble hasn’t played too much of an effect yet, but will it come back against Reedley?

The crowd has finally realized that a real basketball game is going on. The cheers are frequent and we just heard our first boos of the day on what this pro-Reedley crowd would say is a questionable traveling call.

The arena soundsystem play’s Rihanna’s “S.O.S.” during the timeout. On purpose? I most honestly think so.

2^nd Half 7:17 ­- #00 Asim Demmin of Reedley puts up a strong lay-up to cut the lead to one point. Saddleback timeout.

2^nd Half 7:40 - #11 Brian Burton of Reedley sinks yet another three-point shot for the Tigers to cut the lead to three points.

2^nd Half 8:24 - #12 Kyle Wallace of Saddleback commits a foul, team’s seventh. This put them into the bonus foul territory. With the game sitting so tight at 43-39 Gauchos, these extra foul shots will play in important role in the final stretch of this game. You can bank on that.

2^nd Half 9:19 – Franklin Session gets a steal, sprints down the court, and throws down a dunk to silence the crowd. Saddleback still leads 40-35.

2^nd Half 10:15 - #21 Mike Makinano (A Hawaiian! Shaka, my bruddah!) of Reedley sinks another three-point shot and the crowd erups

Both teams have sured up their rebounding troubles a bit. Strong and clean for both teams. Sesssion just demonstated that by rebounding over three people. But as I continue to make my astute observations, they reverse the trend shortly after on the ensuing shot by Session. The ball hit rim and hit six sets of hands before it hit the ground.

2^nd Half 12:08 – Menner and Hoskins have alternated the last few baskets for each team, including Menner rising up through a triple team for the lay-up. It’s a 36-32 Gaucho lead.

2^nd Half 13:01 – Saddleback had creeped out to a 7 point lead, but #20 Marquel Hoskins of Reedley hit a three pointer and a two free throws to get it back within four at 34-30 with Saddleback leading.

2^nd Half 14:36 - #5 Richard Garcia of Reedley picks up the Tigers first points of the half, and its 29-25 Saddleback.

2^nd Half 15:12 – Session picks up his third personal foul of the game.

Saddleback coach Andy Ground is up and walking around, but isn’t up to his usual firey antics on the bench yet, but I feel that will change if the score stays as close as it has. Reedley coach Brian Fonseca has taken his seat on the bench and has refrained from his hopping excercises. For now. (As I type this he just jumped back up off the bench. Nice timing, coach)

2^nd Half 17:43 – T.J. Lipold knocks down the first three-point shot of the second half and gets the Gauchos out 27-23.

2^nd Half 18:37 – Kevin Menner opens the second half scoring for Saddleback and takes back the lead, 24-23.

2^nd Half 20:00 – Saddleback starts with the ball.

The crowd for the late game (Fresno City vs Riverside) is starting to file into the arena and fill up empty seats. Their game was supposed to start right now, but all game starts were pushed back due to a triple-overtime marathon in the first game between San Bernadino Valley and City of San Francisco. The Fresno City/Riverside game will start 20 minutes after the conclusion of this game.

HALFTIME – Reedley 23, Saddleback 22

Saddleback Leaders: Points: Kevin Menner – 11; Rebounds: Kevin Menner, Franklin Session – Each with 5; Assists: Kyle Wallace, Franklin Session – Each with 2; Blocks: Franklin Session – 1; Steals: Franklin Session - 2

Reedley Leaders: Points: Justin Ayers – 7; Rebounds: Asim Demmin – 5; Assists: Marquel Hoskins – 3; Blocks: None; Steals: Asim Demmin - 2

1^st Half 0:00 – Menner gets the lead back for the Gauchos with 37 seconds left, only for #34 Jamiel Nisbett to steal it right back just before the half ends. We’ve still got a game here, folks.

1^st Half 1:26 - Saddleback’s Session is stripped of the ball of a sloppy dribble and #00 Asim Demmin of Reedley circuses his way through the paint to give Reedley their first lead since 2-0 at 21-20.

1^st Half 6:02 – Reedley’s Ayers knocks down a three-pointer and finally puts some energy back into the crowd. Although I’m sure Saddleback liked it the way it was.

1^st Half 6:36 - #33 Ramon Polo of Reedley (who hails from Gijon, Spain interestingly enough) steps to the line for a free throw and “airballed” his first shot, and he gets it from the crowd.

As AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” plays on the arena speakers (which do sound great with this song, by the way), you could say both teams are “blunderstruck” at this point. A lot of shots have been put up and a lot of fouls have been committed by both teams so far. All we’re getting so far is a lot of rim and the base of the backboard. Rebounding has been tough on both sides so far as well. Nothing has been clean. Defensive dominance or offensive struggles?

1^st Half 6:47 – Saddleback timeout. A 30 second timeout. Their first.

1^st Half 8:33 – Session takes the ball in off the inbounds pass and knocks down the first three-pointer of the contest.

1^st Half 8:39 - #23 Franklin Session of Saddleback makes a block on #23 Justin Ayers for Reedley. Ayers recovers and splits the Gaucho defense, and it’s 11-10 Saddleback

1^st Half 9:52 – Kevin Menner returns to the foul line for Saddleback for the fifth time in this first half. He’s made seven out of the ten free throws. It’s 11-6 Saddleback.

1^st Half 13:34 – The newly subbed Mack quickly ends a four minute overall scoring drought. 4-2 Saddleback.

1^st Half 13:37 – Saddleback #10 Terrell Mack and #21 Aaron Woods suv in for #24 T.J. Lipold and #12 Kyle Wallace.

Reedley’s coach is walking in a boot. He was using crutches during pregame. He is now hopping up and down the sidelines on one leg yelling at his players. It’s kind of sad, yet still kind of comical.

1^st Half 16:09 – Franklin Session records the first foul for the Gauchos.

1^st Half 16:41 – Saddleback - #41 Billy Azizi subs for #33 Sarunas Jackson

1^st Half 17:34 – Saddleback’s first points are scored on two free throws

1^st Half 18:34 – The game’s first basket is by Reedley’s #20 Marquel Hoskins, 2-0

1^st Half 20:00– Tip-off won by Reedley and we’re underway here at Selland Arena in Fresno.

Pregame

There are a lot of Reedley supporters in the building tonight who made the short 15 minute drive up here. However, Saddleback is the only team to have their cheerleaders (and student newspaper) here at the game. As much as I love the enthusiasm they show, their high-pitched encouragement does seem to echo as an annoyance in a half-filled arena.

Happy Birthday to #33 Sarunas Jackson of Saddleback. Here’s hoping it’s a good one.

Starters:

South No. 1 (27-7) Saddleback Gauchos - #4 Kevin Menner, #12 Kyle Wallace, #24 T.J. Lipold, #33 Sarunas Jackson, #21 Aaron Woods

North No. 4 (25-6) Reedley Tigers - #00 Asim Demmin, #5 Tyrell Vaughn, #20 Marquel Hoskins, #23 Justin Ayers, #34 Jamiel Nisbett