Ctr Danny Nugent had 19 pts and 7 rebs as West Valley (20-12, 8-4) likely clinched a playoff berth with a 61-47 win over host Gavilan (3-24, 2-10) Friday night.
The win lifts West Valley to the 20-win plateau for the first time since its state runner-up finish in 2006 under Coach Danny Yoshikawa. The Vikings finish in a tie with Cabrillo in the Coast Conference's South Division, and also avenge a loss earlier in the season to Gavilan with the victory.
Gavilan jumped out to an early 12-6 lead in this one, but then West Valley rallied to tie it at 12 on a 3-pointer by SF Reece Behrens. Gavilan briefly went back in front at 14-12 and it was tied at 16 midway through the first half.
But then Nugent scored 6 straight points for West Valley, and Behrens followed with a 3-pointer to make it 25-16. The WVC lead reached double figures at 33-23 after a basket by Behrens, and a jam by Isiah Pfitzer after a steal by Behrens made it 35-23 at the half.
In the second half, Gavilan got a 3-point play from SF Andre McConnell to cut the lead to 9, but Nugent answered moments later for West Valley with a basket to push the lead to 11. Then PF Daniel Ginn scored to make it 39-26.
West Valley continued to expand the lead, pushing the margin to 19 at 49-30 after a pair of free throws by Behrens. Gavilan PG Vince Bautista briefly stopped the momentum with a 3-pointer to make it 49-33. But moments later PG Devon Mynhier picked up a loose ball in the lane and scored, and then Pfitzer hit a short jumper to make it a 20-point game at 53-33, and Gavilan never threatened after that.
For West Valley, Nugent had his game-highs of 19 pts and 7 rebs, and Behrens added 14 pts, 3 rebs, 4 asts, 2 steals and a block. Mynhier had 11 pts and 4 asts.
For Gavilan, SF Stephen Vargas had a team-high 13 pts, but was the only Ram to reach double figures. Bautista and McConnell each had 7 pts.
box score
Friday, February 20, 2009 - 7 pm
at Bud Ottmar Memorial Gymnasium / Bill Christopher Court
Gavilan College, Gilroy
Coast Conference - South Division
West Valley Vikings 61:
23-Isiah Pfitzer, SG - 3/14 fg, 6 rebs, 2 asts, 1 stl, 1 pf, 6 pts
31-Reece Behrens, SF - 4/7 fg, 4/4 ft, 3 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk, 2 stl, 1 pf, 14 pts
32-Daniel Ginn, PF - 2/5 fg, 4 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 4 pts
33-Danny Nugent, C - 7/14 fg, 4/5 ft, 7 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 19 pts
42-Devon Mynhier, PG - 3/6 fg, 5/6 ft, 4 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 11 pts
11-Max Dickson, G - 1 ast, 0 pts
21-Derek Okafor, F - 3/5 fg, 1/2 ft, 6 reb, 1 ast, 3 pf, 7 pts
22-Sean Visser, F - 0/2 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 0 pts
25-Franklin Ndekwe, G - 0/1 fg, 2 pf, 0 pts
15-Edikan Ekanem, C - 0/2 fg, 0 pts
50-Justin Hightower, F - 0/1 fg, 0 pts
team rebounds: 8
Totals: 22/57 fg (.386), 14/17 ft (.824), 41 reb, 16 ast, 1 blk, 7 stl, 14 pf, 61 pts
3-pt fg (3): Behrens 2, Nugent
Turnovers (13): Nugent 3, Behrens 2, Ginn 2, Dickson 2-Pfitzer, Mynhier, Okafor, team
Gavilan Rams 47:
14-Tyler Bennett, PF - 0/1 fg, 3 reb, 1 blk, 2 pf, 0 pts
20-Andre McDonnell, SG - 3/10 fg, 1/3 ft, 3 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 7 pts
21-Vince Bautista, PG - 3/7 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 7 pts
22-Arron Mollet, C - 1/7 fg, 3 reb, 2 ast, 4 blk, 3 pf, 3 pts
23-Stephen Vargas, SF - 5/12 fg, 2/4 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 pf, 13 pts
30-Christian Silva, G - 2/4 fg, 1 reb, 1 pf, 4 pts
32-Todd Janisch, F - 2/5 fg, 4 reb, 1 blk, 1 pf, 5 pts
31-V.J. Atkins, F - 2/4 ft, 4 reb, 2 pts
4-James Henrard, G - 1/2 fg, 3/4 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 5 pts
55-Jacob Steeves, C - 0/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 2 stl, 1 pf, 1 pt
25-Kenny Lightfoot, C - 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 0 pts
44-Travis Masterbone, F - 0/1 fg, 1 pf, 0 pts
team rebounds: 2
Totals: 17/52 fg (.327), 9/17 ft (.529), 32 reb, 9 ast, 6 blk, 6 stl, 15 pf, 47 pts
3-pt fg (4): Bautista, Mollet, Vargas, Janisch
Turnovers (15): McConnell 5, Vargas 4, Bennett, Mollet, Silva, Janisch, Steeves, Masterbone
Halftime Score: West Valley 35, Gavilan 23
Updated Records: West Valley 20-12 overall, 8-4 in Coast-South; Gavilan 3-24 overall, 2-10 in Coast-South
