Twenty-two months after pulling off the most stunning playoff upset of the millennium in California JC basketball, Cabrillo traveled to San Francisco to take on the CCSF Rams again on December 29th and for 30 minutes appeared to have a chance for a repeat performance. But then CCSF shifted into another gear, and when the dust settled the #3-ranked Rams had a 23-point victory.
The last time these teams met on this court at the spectacular CCSF Wellness Center, the Rams were riding a 23-game win streak and were widely expected to have little trouble extending their playoff run as defending state champions. But the upstart Seahawks somehow found a way to topple the Rams, 76-70, in overtime. And though CCSF exacted a small measure of revenge with an 82-51 win last December 29th in Aptos, this was the teams' first meeting on this floor since the playoff shocker.
And for more than 30 minutes, San Francisco (14-1) had its hands full, holding just a 1-point lead at halftime and holding just a 4-point lead of 50-46 with under 9 minutes to play. But then Cabrillo (7-6) felt the full force of CCSF fury, as the Rams scored 28 points in the last 8:38 to pull away for a 23-point victory.
Cabrillo started out well, taking an early 5-0 lead, and led 11-4 after back-to-back 3-pointers by SF Allen Wilcher and PG Warren Jackson. San Francisco cut the margin to a point at 11-10, but then Cabrillo got a 3-pointer from SG A.J. Wright to make it 14-10.
Then came the first CCSF run, with the Rams going on a 9-0 spree to take a 19-14 lead midway through the first half. But Cabrillo battled back with an 8-0 run of its own, taking a 26-24 lead on a 3-pointer by PG Latrell Wilson. Another three by Jackson made it 29-25.
CCSF rallied from that deficit, tying the game at 29 on a 3-pointer by PG Germeny Givens and taking a 31-29 advantage on a slam dunk by PF Gabe Bealer after a steal by SF Travante Williams. Amazingly, it was Williams' 7th steal of the first half. But Cabrillo went back in front on a driving lay-up by Wright in the final minute of the first half. CCSF took a 33-32 lead at the break when SF Joshua Fox made a short hook shot with about 30 seconds left before the horn.
For the first 11-plus minutes of the second half, the teams continued to battle on even terms. CCSF led, 42-35, when University of the Pacific signee PG Dulani Robinson made a 3-point basket. But Cabrillo stayed close, trailing by just 4 points at 50-46 with under 9 minutes to go.
But then CCSF just pulled away. A 3-point play by SG Chuks Iroegbu started the wave with a 3-point play off an inbounds play with 8:38 left. Then Bealer made a three to make it 56-46 with 7:44 to play. Another 3-point play by Iroegbu with 7:22 left made it 59-46, giving the Rams three consecutive three-point plays, whether they were 3-point field goals or traditional and-one situations.
Another 3-point basket, this one by SF Kori Babineaux, made it 64-48 with 6:12 to go. Then Bealer made another three to make it 67-48 with 5:28 left. A basket by Iroegbu off a pass from Bealer following a steal by Babineaux made it 71-51 with just over 3 mintues left, giving CCSF 21 points scored in 6 mintes and assuring the Rams of the victory.
Iroegbu led all scorers with 19 pts for the Rams, and he also pulled down a game-high 9 rebs. Bealer had 14 pts and 4 rebs; Babineaux had 10 pts, 3 asts and 2 steals. Williams came off the bench for 9 pts, 7 asts and 7 steals. Fox and 7-foot Ctr Sami Eleraky each scored 7 pts.
For Cabrillo, Jackson scored a team-high 15 pts. Wilson came off the bench for 10 pts, and 3 asts. PF Jake Harrell had 9 pts and a team-high 7 rebs. But the Seahawks shot just 33% for the game and 25% in the second half, so there would be no shocking upset of the high-flying Rams on this day.
box score
Saturday, December 29, 2013 - 5 pm
at The CCSF Wellness Center / Brad Duggan Court
Coast Conference - Crossover Game
Cabrillo Seahawks 55:
3-David Albittan, SG - 2/8 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 pf, 6 pts
11-Warren Jackson, PG - 6/11 fg, 1/3 ft, 4 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 15 pts
34-Jake Harrell, PF - 2/5 fg, 5/5 ft, 7 reb, 2 ast, 3 pf, 9 pts
35-Allen Wilcher, SF - 2/10 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 7 pts
42-Zavon Jackson, C - 0/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 6 reb, 3 ast, 3 blk, 1 stl, 3 pf, 1 pt
24-Laron Counce, F - 1 reb, 1 blk, 3 pf, 0 pts
5-A.J. Wright, G - 2/10 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 7 pts
12-Latrell Wilson, G - 4/9 fg, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 10 pts
43-Pontus Nordlof, F - 1 pf, 0 pts
23-Cody Love, G - 0 pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 18/55 fg (.327), 11/14 ft (.786), 30 reb, 12 ast, 4 blk, 7 stl, 18 pf, 55 pts
3-pt fg (8): Albittan 2, W.Jackson 2, Wilson 2, Wilcher, Wright
Turnovers (16): W.Jackson 3, Wilcher 3, Albittan 2, Harrell 2, Z.Jackson, Wright, Wilson, team 3
San Francisco Rams 78:
4-Chucks Iroegbu, SG - 7/10 fg, 4/4 ft, 9 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 19 pts
5-Kori Babineaux, SF - 3/7 fg, 3/4 ft, 1 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 10 pts
11-Germeny Givens, PG - 2/2 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 6 pts
25-Gabe Bealer, PF - 6/11 fg, 4 reb, 1 ast, 14 pts
55-Sami Eleraky, C - 2/3 fg, 3/8 ft, 5 reb, 2 blk, 1 pf, 7 pts
23-Travante Williams, F - 3/9 fg, 2/2 ft, 4 reb, 7 ast, 1 blk, 7 stl, 2 pf, 9 pts
20-Vincent Golson, G - 0/1 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 0 pts
44-Kanu Aja, C - 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 1 pf, 1 pt
45-Dulani Robinson, G - 1/7 fg, 2/2 ft, 5 reb, 4 ast, 3 pf, 5 pts
21-Joshua Fox, F - 3/5 fg, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 4 pf, 7 pts
team rebounds: 4
Totals: 27/55 fg (.491), 15/22 ft (.682), 39 reb, 22 ast, 4 blk, 10 stl, 18 pf, 78 pts
3-pt fg (9): Givens 2, Bealer 2, Iroegbu, Babineaux, Williams, Robinson, Fox
Turnovers (13): Robinson 5, Iroegbu 2, Babineaux 2, Eleraky, Williams, Golson, Fox
Halftime Score: San Francisco 33, Cabrillo 32
Updated Records: San Francisco (#3-North, #5-Calif) 14-1, Cabrillo (#9-North, #17-Calif) 7-6
In the 1st half, Cabrillo led 11-4 early on. CCSF led 19-14 after a 9-0 run. Cabrillo led 29-25 after an 11-0 run.
In the 2nd half CCSF held a modest 50-46 lead with under 9 minutes left...and then sped off into the distance.
