Sports
Boys Hoops: Grossmont Eliminated by San Ysidro
The Foothillers erase a 12-point halftime deficit but can't hold a narrow lead and fall 68-62 to the hot-shooting Cougars.
The Grossmont High boys basketball team opened the 2010-11 season by defeating San Ysidro High 58-46. That was back on Nov. 26.
The Foothillers concluded the season Wednesday night by dropping a San Diego CIF Division I playoff opener to those same Cougars, 68-62, at Grossmont.
Perhaps the most glaring difference in the rematch was at the free throw line. The Cougars converted 17 of 19 chances from the charity stripe. Grossmont was only 9 of 18 from the foul line.
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“When you get to the playoffs you have to do all those little things, and making free throws is one of those things we didn’t do well,” Grossmont coach Frank Foggiano said.
San Ysidro (21-8) shot 50 percent from the floor (15 for 30) in the first half to build a 38-26 lead.
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“They were hitting some threes and we didn’t do a very good job of closing out on them,” Foggiano said. “We told our guys (San Ysidro) was going to penetrate and kick, and that we needed to get out on them. We didn’t do that very well.”
Grossmont (18-10) did stage a comeback in the second half. The Foothillers took a 49-48 edge on a 9-0 run that started over the last two minutes of the third quarter and carried over to the first minute of the final period.
It was short-lived, however, as Christian Paris netted a pair of free throws to give the Cougars a 50-49 advantage they wouldn’t lose.
The majority of the Grossmont team returns next season. A major loss will be the graduation of senior point guard DeSean Waters.
“I feel sorry for DeSean,” Foggiano said. “He played hard in what was a very physical game. As a whole, we do not play well against physical teams. I think that showed tonight.”
San Ysidro 68, Grossmont 62
San Ysidro 16 22 10 20 — 68
Grossmont 13 13 19 17 — 62
Grossmont scoring: Robby Nesovic 19, Derek Rustich 13, DeSean Waters 10, Michael Wnek 8, Austin Swisher 5, Ryan Green 5, Nick Persinger 2.
San Ysidro scoring: Javion Watson 24, Eddie Martin 20, Armondo Guzman 11, Christian Paris 6, Brendon Tarrant 4, Chandler Tarrant 3.
Special to Patch.com from East County Sports.com
