Nicholas Becerra scored 14 pts, including a pair of free throws that broke a 66-all tie with 18.8 seconds left, and blocked a would-be game-tying shot moments later to help Moorpark post its first win of the year Thursday at Glendale.
Moorpark (1-2) led by 12 points in the first half but saw that lead disappear quickly when Glendale (1-2) went on a 12-0 run to tie the score at 27. The Raiders led, 37-35, at the half, but Glendale surged into the lead early in the second half to lead, 51-45, with 11:52 remaining.
Moorpark wiped out that deficit with a 7-0 spurt, taking a 52-51 lead on a jumper by Damian Wilson, and pushed its lead to 8 points after a driving lay-up by Larry Williams that gave the Raiders a 65-57 advantage. But Glendale battled back, tying the score when Anjge-Michel "Freddy" Kuo made a pair of free throws with 37.2 seconds left to tie the score at 66.
The key play of the game came when Becerra drove towards the basket and collided with Kuo in the lane. The initial call was a charge on Becerra, which would have not only turned the ball over but would have been his 5th foul of the game.
But game officials huddled, and eventually determined that Becerra had been fouled by Glendale's Jordan Matthews prior to the collision. He was awarded two free throws as the Raiders were in the double-bonus, and made both to give Moorpark a 68-66 lead.
Glendale still had a chance to tie, and the ball went to Cal Poly SLO bounceback Athj, who drove to the basket along the right baseline. But his shot was tipped by Becerra, with Wilson getting the rebound. Wilson made one of two free throws with 3.8 seconds left to make it 69-66.
Before Glendale could attempt a game-tying three, Moorpark coach Gerred Link instructed Willams to foul Vaquero guard Dominic Gully in the backcourt. Gully made the first free throw to make it 69-67. He shot the second, but Athj was called for a lane violation as he attempted to slash into the lane and go for the rebound in an attempt to tie the game, turning the ball over to Moorpark.
Wilson was fouled again and went to the line with 2.1 seconds to go. He made one of two free throws to make it 70-67. Glendale had one last chance to tie but Athj's 50-foot shot at the buzzer fell well short.
Becerra led the Raiders with 14 pts, and he also had 5 rebs, 2 blocks and 2 steals. Elijah Holts had 10 pts. Williams had 8 pts, 7 rebs and 6 asts, and Jake Todey had 4 pts plus game-highs of 8 rebs and 7 asts.
For Glendale, Matthews came off the bench for a game-high 19 pts. He also had 7 rebs. Kuo had 16 pts, 7 rebs, 4 asts, 3 blocked shots and 2 steals. Gully had 14 pts, including 3 three-pointers.
box score
Thursday, November 20, 2016 - 6 pm
at Verdugo Gym, Glendale
WSC Crossover Game
Moorpark Raiders 70:
2-Kaden Young, SG - 3/6 fg, 0/1 ft, 1 reb, 1 stl, 2 pf, 8 pts
3-Larry Williams, PG - 4/6 fg, 0/3 ft, 7 reb, 6 ast, 1 stl, 5 pf, 8 pts
11-Elijah Holts, SF - 3/9 fg, 3/4 ft, 2 reb, 2 pf, 10 pts
20-Jake Todey, PF - 2/8 fg, 8 reb, 7 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 4 pts
21-Nicholas Becerra, C - 4/6 fg, 5/6 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk, 2 stl, 4 pf, 14 pts
1-Taylor Kirkham, G - 4/9 fg, 1 pf, 8 pts
33-Garrett Bilby, C - 0/1 fg, 0 pts
10-Luis Herrera, G - 2/6 fg, 1 reb, 2 ast, 6 pts
23-Ethan Hermann, F - 2/3 fg, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 5 pts
4-Damian Wilson Jr., F - 2/6 fg, 2/4 ft, 3 reb, 2 pf, 7 pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 26/60 fg (.433), 10/18 ft (.556), 35 reb, 18 ast, 2 blk, 6 stl, 70 pts
3-pt fg (8): Young 2, Herrera 2, Holts, Becerra, Hermann, Wilson
Fouled Out: Williams 2.7 secs left
Turnovers (11): Wilson 4, Becerra 3, Kirkham 2, Williams, Todey
Glendale Vaqueros 67:
10-Dominic Gully, PG - 5/12 fg, 1/1 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 3 pf, 14 pts
20-Arin Ovanessian, SG - 1/3 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 3 pts
21-Jarrod Molnar, PF - 0/2 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 0 pts
22-Denzel Nwanguma, SF - 1/4 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 3 pts
40-Frank Irowa, C - 2/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 pf, 5 pts
45-Anjge-Michel "Freddy" Kuo, C - 5/7 fg, 5/10 ft, 7 reb, 4 ast, 3 blk, 2 stl, 2 pf, 16 pts
33-Rihard Hollinger Jr., F - 0/1 fg, 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 0 pts
12-Jordan Matthews, F - 8/12 fg, 2/3 ft, 7 reb, 1 blk, 2 stl, 4 pf, 19 pts
24-Serigne Athj, G - 2/10 fg, 3/6 ft, 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 pf, 7 pts
team rebounds: 3
Totals: 24/53 fg (.453), 13/24 ft (.542), 38 reb, 16 ast, 5 blk, 5 stl, 17 pf, 67 pts
3-pt fg (6): Gully 3, Nwanguma, Kuo, Matthews
Turnovers (17): Athj 5, Ovanessian 3, Matthews 3, Kuo 2, Molinar, Nwanguma, Irowa, Hollinger
Halftime Score: Moorpark 37, Glendale 35
Updated Records: Moorpark 1-2, Glendale 1-2
Moorpark led 27-15 in the 1st half. Glendale answered with a 12-0 run to pull even, and neither team led by more than 8 in the 2nd half.
Becerra made 2 FTs with 18.8 secs left to break a 66-all tie, and then he blocked a shot by Athj to preserve the lead.
