Hoops Thread: DRanch by a nose, 62-60
The Diamond Ranch boys basketball proved again it deserves the area's top ranking, but Nogales isn't that far behind. In a hotly contested non-league game between two league champions just before the CIF-Southern Section pairings are announced Sunday, the Division III-A's top-ranked Panthers overcame an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat host Nogales, 62-60, on Thursday night.
Nogales had the ball last and opted to go for the game winner, but Randal Guillory's desperate three-point attempt at the buzzer was short, giving the Panthers (22-4) a season sweep over the Div. III-AA's fourth-ranked Nobles (22-6). "They're a heck of team, especially in their building," Panthers coach Loren Grover said. "We knew they were going to make shots, it's just a matter of making those shots as tough as possible on them. I thought we did a great job of contesting them in the second half, and making them take a tough shot at the end. For us, the main thing is creating momentum heading into the playoffs, so this was a good win. You never like to go in with a loss."
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Thursday's games
Boys Basketball
Nonleague
Diamond Ranch 62, Nogales 60
Arrowhead League
California Lutheran at La Verne Lutheran, 7:30 p.m.
Miramonte League
Bonita at Charter Oak, 6:30 p.m.
Los Altos at Wilson, 6:30 p.m.
Montview League
Duarte at La Puente, 6 p.m.
Gladstone at Sierra Vista, 6 p.m.
Bassett at Azusa, 6 p.m.
San Antonio League
West Covina at South Hills, 6:30 p.m.
Rowland at Walnut, 6:30 p.m.
Sierra League
Glendora at Ayala, 7 p.m.
Diamond Bar at Damien, 7 p.m.
Chino at Chino Hills, 7 p.m.
Valle Vista League
Northview at Covina, 6:30 p.m.
Ganesha at Baldwin Park, 6:30 p.m.
Pomona at San Dimas, 6:30 p.m.
Note: All varsity girls games start before the boys games.
Nogales' Aaron De Anda had a game-high 22 points, but 18 came in the first half. De Anda didn't make a field goal in the second half, making four points at the foul line.
Guillory finished with 20 points, but the Nobles only made four field goals in the second half, which the Panthers played a big part in.
The Panthers' 6-foot-10 center Chris Cunningham had another solid game, finishing with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Garrett Johnson had 15 points, but the big surprise came from Justin Benson, who nailed five 3-pointers to finish with a team-high 19 points.
"He's really come on strong the second part of the season," Grover said of Benson. "We have a lot of confidence in him and he has a lot of confidence in himself."
After trailing 42-31 at the half, Diamond Ranch opened the third quarter on a 9-1 run to trail 43-40, then Johnson's putback with 2:41 left tied the score, 45-45.
Nogales' Gabriel Gamboa hit a big 3-pointer to tie the score, 56-56, with 4:12 left in the game, but the Panthers answered with six-straight points to take a 62-56 lead with 2:17 left.
"I just thought we were in a hurry the second half," Nogales coach Ricky Roper said. "We have known all along we could play with them, so we're disappointed we didn't win the game. But the good thing was it wasn't our last one, we have a week to get ready for the playoffs."
[TAG1]fred.robledo@sgvn.com
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Miguel Melendez's prep blog
In the Huddle
ESPN
OC Varsity
San Bernardino Sun Preps
LA times Varsity Blog
Daily Bulletin Preps
Whittier Daily News Preps
LA Daily News Preps
Long Beach Press Telegram Preps
Daily Breeze Preps
Dyestat Track and Cross Country
MaxPreps
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College Level Athletes
little birdie,
don't give me that "bp plays with kids who walk in the door" crap. you guys recruited aaron harris a few years ago.
Uglly... Baldwin Park has finished 2nd two years in a row in the Valle Vista League. I think they are competing just fine. They have 7 of their top 8 players back next year. I think they will compete in the Valle Vista League just fine for years to come.
Can someone pls. name the D-I schools that are recruiting Jake. Wait, before you do that, let me grab on to something. Don't want to pass out & hit my head, I might wake up from this fantasy world I'm living in.
BP fan,
yes, the montview league is the worst league in the valley, if not the state. thats why baldwin park should be in it.
why is anyone hating on Jake ? The Latham's are 6'3" 165 and long and athletic and Jake is 5'6" 195 and has six varsity letters and is being recruited by D1 schools. Next year the Lathams and Chris Allen will have their turn to shine!
Ask Sierra Vista, La Puente, Gladstone and Azusa if Baldwin Park is bad. They have one loss against those schools in the past 2 years and that was this year losing to La puente.
The year before they beat La Puente in 07-08 who won the league title.
This year they beat Sierra Vista by 20 on their own court and routed Gladstone both playoff teams in your league.
Before you spout off about your league other then Workman who makes the playoffs in the Montview league in the Valle Vista league.
Just ask anybody who watches basketball the Montview League is the worst league in the valley.
I don't understand you people. Baldwin Park plays with the kids that walk in their door. Something needs to be said for that! They play a style that works for them. If you were at the game last night, BP played seniors most of the game. The kids that score and do the playing are almost all juniors. They have 2 adequate big men(6'5") and 4 guards that are alright. Get off their backs. they play hard and are being successful against schools that they should be playing. Another great season boys!
Congratulations to DR for a great game last night. Hope you guys take it all in D-IIIA. You guys have a great chance. I just wish Nogales had some of that commitment to the "Team" concept that you are so proud of. Nogales is made up of individual wannabe heroes while the team ends up with a zero.
WOW!!! Go DRanch!! What a great Season. I wanna just say first and foremost "THANK GOD"!! Because without him it would not have been possble. The DRanch Boys Varsity Basketball Team deserves a standing ovation! Why? Because they are the first group of young men in DR history to go "UNDEFEATED" in league!!! It wasn't easy. I applaud them for overcoming the adversity that they overcame as far as having a TARGET on their backs, for keeping their composure when faced with the possibility of being defeated, and for staying TEAM when the vision and goal was at stake!!!! GREAT JOB DR!!!
Fred, we thank you for coming to the other side!! Even though for a minute they looked like they were going to let you down, we came back with the heart of a champion! To all the DR HATERS!!! we make no apology for our motto of "There is NO "I" in TEAM and our COMMITTMENT TO EXCELLENCE!!! Coach Grover, We tip our hat to you, because if it wasn't for your willingness and dedication to stick with it, it couldn't have been done. So we thank you for being OUR coach!! GO DRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
UGLYY, YOUR RIGHT, THEY ARE SORRY U FEEL BETTER NOW? FACT IS THEY ARE WAY ABOVE A 500 RECORD AND GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS. IN B.P. THATS PRETTY GOOD. NOT KNOWN AS A BASKETBALL SCHOOL. U PLAY WITH WHAT U HAVE, WHETHER THEY ARE GOOD OR BAD. AND LIKE I SAID, "PLAYOFFS". NOT TOO BAD HUH. YOUR PROBABLY THE TYPE THAT NEVER EVEN PLAYED AND WHATEVER SCHOOL U WENT TO. OR WAS PROBABLY BUSY GETTING THE SPLINTERS OUT OF YOUR A@#.
GO BRAVES !!!!
get to class, jacob!
How can a DR guard make 5 uncontested 3's ?
Why would you drive to the hoop and put up a weak left handed layup against a 6'10 center waiting to block your shot?
Why does a team play tough defense in the first half and not the second?
plain and simple, baldwin park is sorry. so is ganesha. both those teams couldn't even win the montview league title, even if workman wasn't in that league. i bet jv teams could kill them by 40. both coaches look like they didn't know what the hell they were doing.
Damien really proved something last night!
Under the leadership of the next great Mater Dei Head Coach Damien, against all odds, avoided being swept for the fourth time in a six team league!
Question
When is the Jake Veith Show over!
Answer
Not soon enough for the best Point Guard on the team who's sitting in Dunn's Dog House- Jacob Latham!
What will Damien ever do when Jake finally graduates?
Oh noooooooooooo!
very very good game
win or lose nogales should be proud of its effort...they had a chance to pull away (via dr's inability to hit free throws in the final minute) but couldnt finish the play...great effort by both teams
good luck in the play-offs!
Man Fred you almost jinxed DR!!!
& why is it a surprise to anyone that a basketball game between Ganesha & B.P. was ugly?
B.P. has never really been much at basketball & Ganesha has been struggling since they last won the VVL back in 2004.
Its kinda sad, the kids at Ganesha aren't bad, they may not be as talented but you play how you practice..
What ever happened to the good ol days when SD, Ganesha, & Pomona were the VVL contenders.. Things sure have changed..
Uglyy... No one said BP was as good as Diamond Ranch or Nogales you stated that the game was ugly and I only stated that BP made 10-12 three pointers whether you are playing Ganesha or whoever you still have to make them. How many HS teams make 10 to 12 three pointers in a game?
Have you ever thought that is the offensive strategy for BP is to shoot threes and drive to the basket.
I believe Nogales employs the same strategy because that is the type of players they have. BP has really small and quick guard not much height so they space the floor and attack.
If they had a big man in the middle then yes they would pound the ball inside just the Diamond Ranch.
There is more then one way to play basketball sorry BP didn't past your basketball test.
Damien beats Diamond Bar at home!
BP Fan.... Do you watch basketball? Look up Ganesha's scores. They don't play any defense at all. The question is...why would you need to shoot 10-12 threes against Ganesha? You are nowhere near Nogalas or DR
Very intersting both teams are sorry. Baldwin park is 16-8 and 7-3 in league. Ganesha may not be the best team. But Baldwin Park I believe made something like 10-12 three pointers pretty good shooting if you ask me.
Charter Oak blows Bonita out by 20 tonight at charter oak.
it was an ugly game. baldwin park 62 ganesha 38. this looked like a freshman game. i've never seen so many missed lay ups and open shots. both teams are sorry.
Fred
Any news on Diamond Ranch vs Nogales
What a game at Nogales. The Crowd was into it but Diamond Ranch spoiled the fun with a 62-60 win. Nogales had 2 attempts to tie it up after 2 fouls on nogales and each time Diamond Ranch missed the first free throw.
Nogales had a 42-31 halftime lead but fell flat in the 3rd quarter.
Wat a game at Nogales.
Diamond Ranch ended up beating Nogales 62-60.
Nogales had a 42-31 halftime lead but fell flat in the 3rd quarter.
Goin into the final quarter the score was 49-49.
I hope you didn't jinx us Fred. I would have felt better if you picked against us.
We are DR!
You may very well be wrong again Fred. Last year these 2 teams split their series. Good chance of a split again this year. DR caught Nogales in a bad game last time. It WILL be different this time.