In the third place game of the Safeway Classic at DVC, Shasta (7-9) barely held off Contra Costa (0-13), posting a 55-51 win to keep the Comets winless on the season. SG David Ford drained a three from the left corner with 8.4 seconds remaining to clinch the win for the Knights.
The game was closely-contested throughout, and Shasta was clinging to a 1-point lead with the ball in the final minute. The ball went to Ctr Sean-Michael Jergo, but the 6-9 sophomore missed; however, PG Geoff Smith grabbed the rebound with 41 seconds left. That allowed Shasta to drain more time off the clock, but it looked like Contra Costa would get the ball back with at least the chance to tie until Ford’s clutch three-pointer.
Early on, it looked like Shasta would pull away as the Knights built a 16-9 lead. But the Comets dug in, coming back to tie the game at 19 and taking a 27-25 lead into the locker room at halftime. And in the second half, neither team led by more than 3 points until Ford’s game-clinching shot produced the game’s final margin of 4 points.
Contra Costa held the lead as late as with just under 5 minutes left after a three by SF Jason Maples made it 47-46. But then a basket by PF Alex Ward on a feed from Smith put Shasta back ahead, 48-47, and scored again moments later to make it 50-47.
A pair of free throws by Maples made it 50-49, but then with 1:23 left Contra Costa Ctr Aaron Boadu fouled out, sending Jergo to the line. That not only deprived the Comets of their best inside player, but Jergo made both free throws to make it 52-49. But Boadu’s replacement, Ctr Orlando Arnold, scored moments later on a putback to again close the gap to a point at 52-51 with 1:07 left. However, by the time Contra Costa got the ball back, Shasta would be ahead by 4 points after Ford’s three.
For Shasta, Ward had 12 pts on 6-of-9 shooting. Smith had a strong all-around game with 10 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts and 2 steals. And Ford had a marvelous game off the bench with 10 pts (on 3-of-3 shooting) and 3 steals. And of course he made the biggest shot of the game.
For Contra Costa, Maples scored more than half his team’s point, finishing with 27. Boadu just missed the double-double before fouling out, finishing with 14 pts and 9 rebs. But no other Comet scored more than 3 points. PG Alex McDole had 3 pts, 4 asts and 5 steals.
box score
Friday, December 29, 2006 – 5 pm
at the Viking Gymnasium, Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill
Safeway Classic Tourney – Consolation Game
Shasta Knights 55:
3-Geoff Smith, PG – 3/8 fg, 2/6 ft, 6 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 4 pf, 10 pts
14-Brad Tweedy, SG – 1/3 fg, 0/1 ft, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 2 pts
20-Darren Brous, SF – 2/9 fg, 3/4 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 8 pts
23-Ryan Groom, PF – 0/3 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 1 ast, 3 pf, 1 pt
44-Sean-Michael Jergo, C – 1/4 fg, 3/4 ft, 8 reb, 3 ast, 4 pf, 5 pts
21-Alex Ward, F – 6/9 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 12 pts
40-Brian Long, C – 3/3 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 7 pts
10-David Ford, G – 4/4 fg, 3 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 3 pf, 10 pts
5-Chad Putnum, G – 0/3 fg, 1 reb, 0 pts
30-Steven Harris, C – 1 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
24-Grant Moody, G – 0/1 fg, 0 pts
42-Keaton Welch, C - 0 pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 20/47 fg (.426), 10/19 ft (.526), 34 reb, 16 ast, 1 blk, 9 stl, 23 pf, 55 pts
3-pt fg (5): Smith 2, Ford 2, Brous
Turnovers (20): Jergo 4, Tweedy 3, Smith 2, Groom 2, Long 2, Ford 2, Putnum 2, Brous, Ward, Harris
Contra Costa Comets 51:
14-Dorian Taylor, SG – 0/2 fg, 2 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 1 pf, 0 pts
20-Alex McDole, PG – 1/7 fg, 1/2 ft, 5 reb, 4 ast, 5 stl, 4 pf, 3 pts
24-Jason Maples, SF – 9/19 fg, 6/12 ft, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 27 pts
35-Sonny Burns, PF – 1/2 fg, 1/1 ft, 4 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 3 pts
44-Aaron Boadu, C – 4/6 fg, 6/8 ft, 9 reb, 1 blk, 5 pf, 14 pts
42-Orlando Arnold, C – 1/3 fg, 4 reb, 4 pf, 2 pts
12-Jesse Jacobs, G – 0/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 0 pts
21-Alex Chen, G – 1/4 fg, 0/1 ft, 1 reb, 1 pf, 2 pts
team rebounds: 4
Totals: 17/43 fg (.395), 14/26 ft (.538), 34 reb, 10 ast, 1 blk, 8 stl, 22 pf, 51 pts
3-pt fg (3): Maples 3
Fouled Out: Boadu 1:23 left
Turnovers (22): McDole 6, Maples 4, Burns 3, Boadu 3, Arnold 2, Jacobs 2, Taylor, team
Halftime Score: Contra Costa 27, Shasta 25
Updated Records: Shasta 7-9, Contra Costa 0-13
