After giving up a 17-point halftime lead, Carpinteria’s boys basketball team held off Nordhoff in the final seconds of Tuesday’s Jim Bashore Tournament consolation championship 67-64.
Still clinging to a tiny lead, Xavier DeAlba drew a charging foul, Ian Craddock tracked down a key offensive rebound, and both Kyle Millhollin and Marcus Hutchinson drained two free throws in the final minute to help the Warriors hold on.
“After we lost the San Marcos game our goal was to finish the tournament above .500,” explained Warriors head coach Johnny Ward. “Which means we had to win three straight and take out a tough opponent – whoever that might be – in the consolation championship, and we did that.”
“The kids are fired up. They’re working hard and they’re believing.”
The Warriors went 3-1 in their own tournament and hold a 5-4 record overall. It was a positive step for a Carpinteria team that went 0-4 at the Bashore last season.
“It’s great,” Millhollin said. “It’s a big change for us. We can keep building on that change too.”
Hutchinson and Millhollin ended with season highs of 20 points and 17 points respectively. Craddock added 14 points.
Gio Robinson led the Rangers, who outscored the Warriors 48-24 in the second half, with 18 points.
