The rims at Santa Barbara High’s gym weren’t kind to the Bishop Diego boys basketball team on the opening day of the Santa Barbara Holiday Classic.
The Cardinals had several layups and other close-range shots roll off the rims and came out on the short end of a 61-54 decision against Troy on Wednesday night.
Speedy and powerful point guard Caleb Richey attacked the rim with a vengeance but many of his shots rolled out, leaving him and the Cardinals frustrated. Richey still finished with 17 points before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.
Troy, the No.8 ranked team in the CIF-SS 1-A Division, used the strong inside game of 6-2 junior Ben Stiver and 6-3 Johnny Bayeh to build a seven-point halftime lead (37-30). Stiver finished with 27 points and Bayeh scored 11.
Bishop (5-5, ranked 10th in 5-AA) picked up its play midway through the third quarter after Richey drew contact on a drive to the basket but didn’t get a call from the official. On the Cardinals’ next possession, Thomas Lash scored inside to ignite a 9-2 run. Peter Kwock knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one, 46-45, and then fed Lash for a layup to put Bishop in the lead at 47-46 with 1:38 left in the quarter.
Troy called a timeout in hopes of cooling off the Cardinals, but they came out of the break and scored again, with Lash dishing off to Grant Sexton for the basket.
Unfortunately for Bishop, the Warriors got the momentum back when David Bayeh and Stiver made back-to-back 3-pointers to put them in the lead, 52-49, at the end of the third quarter.
After Stiver hit two free-throws to make it 54-50, Lash worked hard inside and twice got to the free-throw line. He nailed four free throws to knot the score at 54-54 with 3:38 to go.
Bishop had a chance to take the lead after Troy missed the front end of a one-and-one, but the Cardinals threw the ball away.
Johnny Bayeh made one of two free throws to put the Warriors up by one, 55-54, with 2:18 left in the game.
Bishop, however, couldn’t respond. It missed opportunities from close range and Troy
came back and delivered the crushing blow on a 3-pointer from Stiver on an out-of-bounds play. Richey then fouled out and Johnny Bayeh and Stiver hit free throws to clinch the victory for the Warriors.
Both teams had a player ejected in the final seconds for a flagrant foul on a rebound.
Lash and Kwock each added 10 points for Bishop, which returns to the court for a 1:30 consolation bracket game against Nordhoff. The Cardinals beat the Rangers earlier this season.
Troy (12-3) faces Camarillo in a championship quarterfinal game at 4:30 p.m.
