#11 Antelope Valley (12-8) saw its 17-point first-half lead disappear, but recovered in the final ten minutes to edge visiting Sequoias (8-9), 67-63, Monday night in Lancaster.
Early on it looked like AVC would win convincingly as the Marauder defense held COS to just 29% shooting in the first half in building a big lead. AVC led 33-16 after a putback basket by SF Raymond Cody late in the half before a 3-pointer by Sequoias SG Rocky DiAntonio in the final minute of the half made it 33-19 at the break.
But Sequoias came out firing in the second half, making 10 of its first 14 shots from the floor and quickly overcoming the AVC lead. A steal & basket by PG Jordan Reyes tied the score at 41 with 12:05 left in the game, and COS went ahead moments later when a 3-pointer by PG E.J. Farris made it 44-43 with 11:15 left in the game.
Then, however, the game settled down and the teams traded baskets the rest of the way with neither team opening more than a 7-point lead.
Ctr Kyisean Reed put AVC in front with an emphatic slam dunk with just under 10 minutes left, beginning a 6-0 spurt that saw the Marauders take a lead they would hold the rest of the way. A dipsy-do move by Cody resulted in a lay-up, and then Ctr Chris Clayton scored on a lay-up after a perfect feed from Nick Sanchez to make it 51-45.
Still, COS stayed close. AVC opened a 7-point lead several times, and seemed to have finally taken control of the game after a runner by Reed made it 63-56 with 1:35 remaining. But a 3-pointer by Farris brought the Giants within 4 points just 15 seconds later.
PG Rod Singleton hit a short jumper with 50.6 seconds left to make it 65-59, but Sequoias got a putback jam from Ctr Clliff Ederaine moments later to make it 65-61. Then a steal by DiAntonio led to a basket by PF Diontea Wright that made it 65-63. And then COS seemed to have Cody pinned in a corner of his own backcourt. Just before - or maybe just after - the ball came loose, AVC Coach Dieter Horton called timeout, which the official granted, allowing AVC to retain possession of the ball.
On the restart, AVC got the ball into the frontcourt, where Singleton was fouled with 16.9 seconds left. He then made a pair of free throws, which basically clinched the game for the Marauders. COS tried one last 3-pointer in the final seconds but Singleton corraled the missed shot by Farris, ending the game.
For AVC, four players scored in double figures. Reed had 14 pts and 5 rebs to lead the way. PF Jerome Moton had 13 pts. Cody had a strong all-around game with 12 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts and 2 steals. Singleton added 10 pts and 2 asts while Nick Sanchez came off the bench for a strong effort with 4 pts and a team-high 4 asts.
For COS, DiAntonio led a balanced scoring attack with 10 pts, and also had 3 asts. Farris had 9 pts, all on threes, off the bench. Wright flirted with a double-double, finishing with 8 pts and a game-high 9 rebs plus 3 blocked shots. Reyes added 7 pts and a game-high 5 asts plus 3 steals.
box score
Monday, December 29, 2008 - 7 pm
at Marauder Gym, Lancaster
Sequoias Giants 63:
3-Conrad Williams, SF - 2/2 fg, 3 ats, 1 stl, 1 pf, 6 pts
13-Rocky DiAntonio, SG - 4/10 fg, 2 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 10 pts
20-Jordan Reyes, PG - 3/5 fg, 1 reb, 5 ast, 1 blk, 3 stl, 1 pf, 7 pts
22-Diontea Wright, PF - 4/10 fg, 9 reb, 1 ast, 3 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 8 pts
42-Cliff Ederaine, C - 3/5 fg, 0/2 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 4 pf, 6 pts
23-Johnny Dixon, F - 1/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 stl, 1 pf, 3 pts
5-Jovan Danials, F - 2/6 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 reb, 2 stl, 1 pf, 6 pts
15-E.J. Farris, G - 3/7 fg, 1 reb, 2 ast, 9 pts
50-Ronnie Norsworthy, C - 3/7 fg, 0/2 ft, 2 reb, 2 pf, 6 pts
32-Julian Scott, F - 1/1 fg, 1 stl, 2 pts
team rebounds: 3
Totals: 26/55 fg (.473), 3/8 ft (.375), 26 reb, 15 ast, 5 blk, 11 stl, 13 pf, 63 pts
3-pt fg (8): Farris 3, Williams 2, DiAntonio 2, Reyes
Turnovers (17): Williams 3, Dixon 3, DiAntonio 2, Wright 2, Danials 2, Farris 2, Reyes, Norsworthy, Scott
Antelope Valley Marauders 67:
1-Rod Singleton, PG - 4/9 fg, 2/2 ft, 1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 10 pts
11-Raymond Cody, SF - 5/10 fg, 2/2 ft, 4 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 12 pts
23-Lionell Holmes, SG - 0/3 fg, 1 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 0 pts
32-Jerome Moton, PF - 5/6 fg, 3/5 ft, 3 reb, 1 stl, 4 pf, 13 pts
34-Kyisean Reed, C - 7/9 fg, 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 2 pf, 14 pts
5-Nick Sanchez, G - 2/4 fg, 2 reb, 4 ast, 4 pts
20-Anthony Sanchez, G - 2/3 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl, 4 pts
22-Aaron Henson, F - 3/7 fg, 5 reb, 6 pts
21-Chris Clayton, C - 1/1 fg, 2 pf, 2 pts
12-Markese Fields, F - 1/1 fg, 1 ast, 2 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 30/53 fg (.567), 7/9 ft (.778), 29 reb, 14 ast, 3 blk, 7 stl, 10 pf, 67 pts
3-pt fg (0): None
Intentional Foul: Cody
Turnovers (15): Moton 4, Singleton 3, Reed 3, Cody 2, N.Sanchez, A.Sanchez, Fields
Halftime Score: Antelope Valley 33, Sequoias 19
Updated Records: Antelope Valley (#11-South) 12-8, Seqouias 8-9
AVC led by 17 at 33-16 late in the 1st half. COS made 10 of its first 14 shots of the second half to tie it at 41 and took a 44-43 lead with 12:15 left. But AVC went back in front and held off a late rally for the win.
