PG Dominique Brinson had 14 pts and Ctr Mat Lipski had a double-double and a game-saving blocked shot for Redwoods (10-5) in a 61-58 win over San Diego City (3-11) in the Citrus College Holiday Classic Wednesday evening in Glendora.
The match-up featured a pair of schools separated by some 679 miles, probably the longest-distance match-up of the season in California. Neither of the other teams in the far north - Lassen, Shasta or the Siskiyous - has played or is scheduled to play a team from the San Diego area this season.
In this one, Redwoods led the entire second half, but saw what had been a 10-point lead shrink to a single point in the final minute, and SD City got the ball with 14 seconds and a chance to go ahead. But Lipski blocked PG Steven Aldridge's attempted lay-up to keep the Corsairs in the lead. SF David Norton got the rebound and passed to SG Xavier Carpenter, who made a pair of free throws with 1 second left to help seal the victory.
The first half saw both teams score frequently, and SD City opened a 6-point lead at 25-19 with 6:47 left in the half. Redwoods scored the game's next 6 points to tie the score at 25, and took a 3-point lead at 35-32 after a 3-pointer by PF Sam Osofsky. The lead went back and forth the rest of the half, with Redwoods taking a 41-40 lead when Carpenter stole the ball in the SD City backcourt in the final seconds of the half; he missed a lay-up after getting the ball, but Brinson scored on the putback to give the Corsairs the lead.
After SD City shot a sizzling 62.5% in the first half, the Knights missed their first 15 shots of the second half, allowing Redwoods to extend its lead. The margin reached 10 points after a bank shot basket by SF Jeremiah Branson midway through the second half.
But SD City stayed close enough to rally once a few shots started falling. A pair of free throws by Ctr Travis Wilson brought the Knights within 6 points at 57-51 with 3:03 left. A 3-point play by SF Dunnell Webb Jr. brought SD City within 5 points at 59-54 with 1:42 left. Then a pair of free throws by SG Sterling Jones made it 59-56 with 1:12 left.
The rally continued as SG Timell Thomas scored on a driving lay-up with 34 seconds left to make it 59-58. And he was fouled on the play as well. But he missed the free throw, allowing Redwoods to retain a 1-point lead. But the Corsairs lost the ball on an inbounds play with 14 seconds left, allowing SD City one more chance. However, Lipski's block saved the day for the Corsairs.
Webb led all scorers with 15 pts for SD City, but he was the only player for the Knights to score in double figures. Aldridge finished with 9 pts and a game-high 4 asts. PF Anthony Calhum pulled down a game-high 12 rebs.
box score
2009 Citrus College Holiday Classic
at The Owls' Nest, Citrus College, Glendora
Wednesday, December 30, 2009 - 3 pm
SD City Knights 58:
2-Sterling Jones, SG - 2/2 fg, 4/4 ft, 2 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 9 pts
4-Travis Wilson, C - 1/4 fg, 3/9 ft, 6 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 4 pf, 5 pts
10-Steven Aldridge, PG - 2/16 fg, 5/6 ft, 1 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 9 pts
24-Dunnell Webb Jr., SF - 6/9 fg, 3/3 ft, 2 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 2 pf, 15 pts
32-Anthony Calhum, PF - 1/5 fg, 2/4 ft, 12 reb, 2 stl, 2 pf, 4 pts
5-Jason Sanchez, G - 1/1 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 pf, 4 pts
21-Abdi Faras, F - 0/2 fg, 1 reb, 3 pf, 0 pts
22-Timell Thomas, G - 2/5 fg, 0/1 ft, 1 reb, 2 pf, 5 pts
45-Carleton Coleman, C - 2 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
3-Gaileh Omar, G - 2/3 fg, 1 ast, 2 stl, 4 pts
13-Danny Teisher, F - 0 pts
40-Tim Harris, F - 1/1 fg, 1 blk, 3 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 18/48 fg (.375), 19/29 ft (.655), 32 reb, 12 ast, 3 blk, 8 stl, 20 pf, 58 pts
3-pt fg (3): Jones, Thomas, Harris
Turnovers (16): Webb 4, Wilson 3, Aldridge 2, Calhum 2, Sanchez 2, Jones, Thomas, Coleman
Redwoods Corsairs 61:
1-Xavier Carpenter, SG - 3/11 fg, 2/4 ft, 4 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 4 pf, 8 pts
3-Dominique Brinson, PG - 4/8 fg, 5/6 ft, 5 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 5 pf, 14 pts
24-Mat Lipski, C - 5/9 fg, 1/2 ft, 11 reb, 2 blk, 2 stl, 3 pf, 11 pts
32-David Norton, SF - 3/6 fg, 1/4 ft, 8 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 7 pts
42-Travis Tollner, PF - 1/5 fg, 6 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 1 pf, 3 pts
13-Sam Osofsky, F - 2/6 fg, 1 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 2 pf, 6 pts
23-Jeremiah Branson, G - 2/6 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 4 pts
12-Chris Jackson, F - 3/6 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 5 pf, 8 pts
0-Sam Green, F - 0/1 fg, 0 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 23/58 fg (.397), 11/18 ft (.611), 45 reb, 9 ast, 5 blk, 9 stl, 26 pf, 61 pts
3-pt fg (4): Osofsky 2, Brinson, Tollner
Fouled Out: Jackson 3:03 left, Brinson 0:34 left
Turnovers (22): Brinson 5, Lipski 5, Norton 3, Branson 3, Jackson 3, Carpenter 2, Tollner
Halftime Score: Redwoods 41, SD City 40
Updated Records: Redwoods 10-5, SD City 3-11
Lipski blocked an Aldridge shot at the rim in the final seconds to save the win for Redwoods
