Dos Pueblos’ boys basketball team took advantage of second-chance opportunities on Friday night, leaving Santa Barbara with little chance of pulling off an upset in a 47-36 Channel League decision in favor of the Chargers at Sovine Gym.
DP scored 10 of its 15 first-quarter points on second-chance points to take a 15-2 lead, eight coming from easy put-back layups from Daniel Prichard, Jay Larinan, Jackson Burke and Cameron Nelson. And although the Dons made the necessary adjustments, the Chargers’ lead was too much to regain.
Dos Pueblos' Cameron Nelson tries to shoot around the outstretched arm of Santa Barbara defender Clifford Anderson on Friday night.
“We felt like in the first quarter we had a lot of putbacks, and in the second, third, and fourth – we didn’t have as many,” said DP head coach Joe Zamora, whose Chargers captured their first Channel League win. “They don’t quit, that’s for sure. They work hard.”
Larinan led Dos Pueblos with 14 points and eight rebounds while Mestas also reached double-figures with 10 points. Matt McClenathen helped DP control the paint with 16 rebounds.
Dos Pueblos led by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter but Santa Barbara rallied to bring down the final margin to 11. After the first quarter, Santa Barbara outscored the Chargers 34-32, including 16-9 in the final period.
“The hardest thing to learn as a young team is winning on the road,” said Santa Barbara head coach Chris Hantgin. “We were a little shell-shocked early and we started to play better as the game went on so I was real proud of our effort.”
Andrew Adams led the Dons with nine points and six rebounds.
The first quarter was all Dos Pueblos as the game started with an 13-0 DP run that ended with Adams scoring the Dons’ first points on a post move six minutes and 24 seconds into the game.
Larinan helped the Chargers build on their lead in the second period by scoring 8 of his 14. All three baskets came from the perimeter, with his second 3-pointer giving Dos Pueblos its first 20-point lead at 27-7 with three minutes left in the half.
The Chargers’ biggest lead came half-way through the final quarter. Larinan finished an alley-oop from Pablo Miranda with a lay-up on a fast-break, making it a 44-23 ballgame. Miranda tallied a game-high seven assists.
But the Dons tore off a 13-3 run to close out the game. Adams drained a trey and Aldo Martinez completed a 3-point play on a offensive rebound put-back.
Santa Barbara, now 1-17, suffered two rivalry losses this week and moves on to play the Ventura schools, starting with the Cougars on Wednesday.
Dos Pueblos, which improves to 8-9, 1-1, plays at Buena the same night. Friday’s victory was the first league win for the Chargers, who are feeling confident with the knowledge that 6-foot-9 center Malik Heptot is expected back within two weeks.
“One down, six more to go,” Larinan said, confident the Chargers can win out in league.
DOS PUEBLOS 47, SANTA BARBARA 36
SANTA BARBARA – Aronson 3, Heddon 5, Madrigal 1, Adams 9, Anderson 5, Marshall 8, Martinez 5. Totals 13 FG, 7-13 FT, 36.
DOS PUEBLOS – Prichard 4, Arroyo 4, Miranda 3, McClenathen 2, Rodriguez 2, Pottenger 2, Larinan 14, Mestas 10, Burke 2, Nelson 3. Totals – 19 FG, 6-9 FT, 47.
Santa Barbara 2 9 9 16 – 36
Dos Pueblos 15 12 9 9 – 47
3-ptrs – SB 3 (Heddon, Adams, Aronson), DP 3 (Larinan 2, Miranda). Total Fouls – SB 10, DP 13.
