Nathan Viera and D.J. Rodriguez each scored 18 points as DeAnza overcame a pair of 10-point deficits to post its first victory of the seaso, 67-63, over College of the Sequoias Wednesday in Visalia.
Viera broke a 59-59 tie with a driving lay-up with 1:24 left, and fed Rodriguez with an outlet pass for a lay-up with just under a minute to go. Rodriguez added 4 free throws in the final 20.5 seconds to secure the win for DeAnza (1-4).
The host Giants cut the lead to two points when Chris Ross scored on a driving lay-up with 45 seconds left, and got the ball back moments later when Viera stepped on the center line for a turnover with 36 seconds to go. Chris Smith was fouled with 26.2 seconds left, and went to the line with a chance to tie the score.
He made the first of two free throws, but missed the second, and the Dons got the rebound. COS had no choice but to foul, and Rodriguez made 2 free throws with 20.5 seconds left. COS still had a chance to tie it, but Smith's 3-point try bounced off the rim and Rodriguez grabbed the rebound. He was fouled and made two more free throws with 8.8 seconds left to make it 67-62 and clinch the win for DeAnza.
Early on, it looked like Sequoias (3-6), ranked #8 in the North in the coaches' preseason poll, was ready to shake off its recent slump. The Giants jumped out to an early 12-2 lead after a 3-pointer by Brantley Bynum and a basket from in close by Fatai Eke.
But DeAnza rallied, cutting the margin to two points at 18-16 midway through the half and taking a 25-22 lead on a 3-pointer by Kyle Connor wiht just under two minutes left in the first half.
Sequoias tied it at the half, thanks in part to the quick work of assistant coach Bud Werner. COS' Chad Clark split two free throws with just over a minute left in the half, but the point scoreboard showed the score still 25-22 until the coach known mainly as "Budball" went to the table and pointed out the error. Then Clark was fouled trying a three with 23.7 seconds left in the half and made two of the three resulting free throws to tie it at 25.
Sequoias came out strong to start the second half, with Manuel Hernandez scoring twice in close and defensing a DeAnza shot inside, all in the first 1:11 of the half. Then Smith hi a face-up jumped with 15:25 left and made two free throws with 14:40 remaining to push the Giants' lead to 39-29.
But just like in the first half, DeAnza rallied from that 10-point deficit, with Connor draining back-to-back threes to get the Dons back in the game. He then scored on a traditional 3-point play with 11:36 left to get DeAnza within two points. Then when he missed a contested lay-up, Jordan Belton was there for the putback to tie the score 41-41.
Out of a timeout, Sequoias coach Rusty Smith drew up a play that resulted in Bynum scoring on an alley-oop slam on the restart, and Sequoias got a 3-pointer from Derek Check and a short jumper from Bynum to take a 48-42 lead. A 3-point play by Check and two free throws by Hernandez made it 53-46.
Once again, DeAnza rallied, going on a 13-3 run to take a 59-56 lead with 1:57 left. A 3-point play by Rodriguez made it 53-52 with 4:28 left, and a basket by Mitchell Hickman off a pass from Rodriguez tied the score at 56. Viera drained a three with 1:57 left to give DeAnza a 59-56 lead.
Clark hit a three for Sequoias to tie it one last time for Sequoias at 59, but the Giants never went back into the lead. Viera and Rodriguez combined for DeAnza's last 8 points as the Dons found a way to win despite losing Connor to an apparent ankle injury with just over two minutes to go.
Viera scored 18 pts on 6-for-10 from the floor, including 3 threes, and added 5 rebs and 5 asts. Rodriguez had 18 pts, 7 rebs and 3 asts. Connor had 12 pts, on 3 threes and a 3-point play, plus game-highs of 9 rebs and 5 steals as well as 3 asts.
For Sequoias, Smith scored a team-high 15 pts and added 4 rebs and 3 asts. Clark had 13 pts, including a pair of threes. Ross had 10 pts, 5 rebs and 5 asts despite battling second-half foul trouble, and Bynum had 9 pts, 7 rebs, 5 asts and 2 steals.
box score
Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - 5 pm
at College of the Sequoias, Visalia
DeAnza Dons 67:
10-Nathan Viera, PG - 6/10 fg, 3/4 ft, 5 reb, 5 ast, 2 pf, 18 pts
15-Kyle Connor, SG - 4/13 fg, 1/1 ft, 9 reb, 3 ast, 5 stl, 2 pf, 12 pts
20-Josh Bongers, PF - 2/2 fg, 2/2 ft, 6 reb, 4 pf, 6 pts
24-D.J. Rodriguez, SF - 5/9 fg, 7/7 ft, 7 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 18 pts
30-Karl Mann, C - 0/3 fg, 1 reb, 1 blk, 2 pf, 0 pts
32-Joseph Foster, C - 1/2 fg, 1 reb, 2 pts
2-Jordan Belton, G - 1/6 fg, 1/4 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 3 pts
3-Mitchell Hickman, G - 2/3 fg, 0/2 ft, 5 pts
4-Kenny Robinson, F - 0/2 fg, 3/4 ft, 5 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 3 pf, 3 pts
33-Cooper Wilson, F - 0/2 fg, 1 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
team rebounds: 4
Totals: 21/52 fg (.404), 17/24 ft (.708), 44 reb, 12 ast, 2 blk, 7 stl, 16 pf, 67 pts
3-pt fg (8): Viera 3, Connor 3, Rodriguez, Hickman
Turnovers (19): Viera 6, Bongers 3, Connor 2, Mann 2, Robinson 2, Rodriguez, Foster, Belton, Hickman
Sequoias Giants 63:
4-Brantley Bynum, SF - 4/11 fg, 7 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 9 pts
5-Chris Ross, PG - 3/8 fg, 4/6 ft, 5 reb, 5 ast, 4 pf, 10 pts
11-Chad Clark, SG - 4/8 fg, 3/5 ft, 2 reb, 1 pf, 13 pts
23-Chris Smith, PF - 5/14 fg, 4/8 ft, 4 reb, 3 ast, 2 pf, 15 pts
32-Manuel Hernandez, C - 2/3 fg, 4/6 ft, 4 reb, 2 blk, 2 stl, 1 pf, 8 pts
42-Fatai Eke, C - 1/2 fg, 2 reb, 1 blk, 2 pf, 2 pts
30-Adam Kittrell, C - 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
3-Stephon Newsome, G - 0/3 fg, 1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 0 pts
15-Derek Check, F - 2/7 fg, 1/1 ft, 1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 6 pts
13-Elray Coleman, G - 0/2 fg, 1 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
team rebounds: 2
Totals: 21/59 fg (.356), 16/26 ft (.615), 30 reb, 17 ast, 3 blk, 6 stl, 21 pf, 63 pts
3-pt fg (5): Clark 2, Bynum, Smith, Check
Turnovers (9): Ross 2, Clark 2, Bynum, Smith, Hernandez, Check, Coleman
Halftime Score: Tied at 25
Updated Records: DeAnza 1-4, Sequoias 3-6
Sequoias led by 10 early in both halves (12-2 and 39-29) but DeAnza caught up each time.
DeAnza went on a 13-3 run to lead 59-56 with 1:57 left.
Clark hit a 3-pointer for Seqouias to tie it one last time at 59.
Viera scored on a lay-up with 1:24 left and fed Rodriguez with an outlet pass for a score that made it 63-59.
Rodriguez made 4 FTs in the final 20.5 seconds left to clinch the win for DeAnza.
