San Diego Mesa rallied from deficits of 16 points in the first half and 13 points in the second half to nip host Glendale, 72-67, Monday night at Verdugo Gym.
PG Tony Rowe scored the game's last 6 points, all in the last 40 seconds, to help the Olympians (3-2) post their third win of the season, matching their totals for each of the last two campaigns.
Glendale (2-2) seemed in control of the game much of the night, taking a 28-12 lead with 8:38 left in the first half. Mesa cut the margin to six points at halftime, 36-30, and to four points early in the second half, but Glendale stretched the margin back to 13 at 56-43 after a 3-pointer by SG Nate Bryant and a short jumper by SG Danny Lawton midway through the second half.
But Mesa rallied, tying the game on a 3-point play by PF Anthony Zeitounian with 3:58 left and taking the lead moments later on a steal & lay-up by SG Travon Jones. The lead went back and forth over the next few minutes, with Glendale holding a 67-66 egde after another Bryant 3-pointer with 1:23 left.
Rowe put Mesa back into the lead when he rebounded a miss by SF Dee Hugie and scored with 40 seconds left to make it 68-67. Glendale PG Nick Rhodes went to the free throw line with 35.2 seconds left, but missed the front end of the one-and-one, and Zeitounian got the rebound for the Olympians.
Glendale was forced to foul, and sent Rowe to the free throw line with 20.8 seconds left. He made two free throws to make it 70-67. Glendale missed two shots including a potential game-tying 3-pointer, and Rowe got the rebound for Mesa. He was fouled and made two free throws with 2.9 seconds left to make it 72-67 and clinch the win for Mesa.
Jones led all scorers with 18 pts and also had 10 rebs, 6 asts and 6 steals in a terrific overall performance. Rowe had 15 pts, as did Hugie, who also had 6 rebs, 3 asts and 2 steals. Overall, Mesa shot 54% from the floor, including 61% in the second half.
For Glendale, Bryant came off the bench for a team-high 16 pts, including the two 3-pointers. Rhodes had 12 pts and a game-high 7 asts.
box score
Monday, November 21, 2011 - 5 pm
at Verdugo Gym, Glendale
Mesa Olympians 72:
5-Travon Jones, SG - 7/11 fg, 10 reb, 6 ast, 6 stl, 2 pf, 18 pts
12-Tony Rowe, PG - 5/6 fg, 4/4 ft, 5 reb, 2 ast, 3 pf, 15 pts
21-Anthony Zeitounian, PF - 4/9 fg, 1/1 ft, 4 reb, 1 stl, 2 pf, 9 pts
23-Dee Hugie, SF - 5/10 fg, 4/4 ft, 6 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 15 pts
30-Alex Zeitounian, C - 2/4 fg, 1 reb, 1 stl, 3 pf, 4 pts
11-Ja'Mar White, F - 1/4 fg, 2 reb, 1 pf, 2 pts
2-Eric Wells, G - 1/3 fg, 2 reb, 2 ast, 3 pf, 2 pts
4-Mychael Gary, G - 2/3 fg, 3/6 ft, 2 ast, 1 pf, 7 pts
22-Taiyo Robertson, G - 2 ast, 1 pf, 0 pts
team rebounds: 2
Totals: 27/50 fg (.540), 12/15 ft (.800), 32 reb, 17 ast, 0 blk, 10 stl, 18 pf, 72 pts
3-pt fg (6): Jones 4, Rowe, Hugie
Turnovers (21): Jones 6, Hugie 5, Towe 4, Alex Zeitounian 2, White 2, Wells, Gary
Glendale Vaqueros 67:
11-Robert Henry, SG - 0/5 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 1 pt
30-Nick Rhodes, PG - 5/12 fg, 1/3 ft, 7 ast, 1 blk, 4 stl, 1 pf, 12 pts
32-Shara Babakhanians, SF - 2/7 fg, 3 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 6 pts
42-Marquis Brooks, PF - 2/8 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 stl, 4 pf, 6 pts
44-Sooren DerBoghosian-Pakajaki, C - 2/4 fg, 9 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 4 pts
20-William Daubin, G - 1/2 fg, 0/3 ft, 2 sat, 1 stl, 2 pts
12-Danny Lawton, G - 1/3 fg, 1 reb, 1 stl, 1 pf, 2 pts
24-Sammy Darling, F - 3/5 fg, 3 reb, 1 stl, 7 pts
22-Nate Bryant, G - 7/13 fg, 0/1 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 16 pts
33-Mike Johnson, F - 4/4 fg, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 8 pts
35-Dorian Hampton, C - 1/2 fg, 2/4 ft, 7 reb, 1 stl, 1 pf, 4 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 28/63 fg (.444), 6/15 ft (.400), 35 reb, 19 ast, 2 blk, 14 stl, 15 pf, 67 pts
3-pt fg (5): Bryant 2, Rhodes, Babakhanians, Darling
Turnovers (15): Rhodes 3, Babakhanians 3, Darling 3, Henry 2, DerBoghosian-Pakajaki 2, Bryant 2
Halftime Score: Glendale 36, SD Mesa 30
Updated Records: SD Mesa 3-2, Glendale 2-2
Glendale led by 16 at 28-12 in the 1st half and by 13 at 56-43 in the 2nd half.
Mesa rallied to take a 64-62 lead with less than four minutes left.
Rowe scored the last 6 points of the game: a putback with 40 seconds left, 2 FTs with 20.8 left and 2 more FTs with 2.9 left to seal the win.
