With their leading scorer out of the game because of a
questionable flagrant call, and their two starting bigs in foul
trouble early, the Oakwood Hawks needed someone to step up in
Friday’s Coastal Athletic League boys basketball game against
Kirby. John Angulo came to the rescue.
With their leading scorer out of the game because of a questionable flagrant call, and their two starting bigs in foul trouble early, the Oakwood Hawks needed someone to step up in Friday’s Coastal Athletic League boys basketball game against Kirby.
John Angulo came to the rescue.
The sophomore guard went for 17 points, six rebounds and five assists in a great all-around effort, and Ryan Salamon chipped in a season-high 12 points as host Oakwood won 50-29 to stay on track for making the Central Coast Section playoffs.
“Ryan and John were amazing tonight,” Hawks coach Kort Jensen said in an email. “They really came to play and showed what great leaders they are.”
Brett Hall, who came in averaging 18 points per game, was ejected in the first five minutes for making elbow contact while battling for a rebound. In the second quarter the Hawks lost their second-leading scorer, Harsh Sikka, to five fouls and were forced to sit 6-foot, 7-inch freshman center Justin Mortensen with four.
At one point the foul count was 12 for Oakwood and one for Kirby.
The Hawks prevailed in the second half with a full-court trapping press that best utilized their speedy freshmen, Nikhail Batra, Jeff Henderson and Jeron Wong.
“They played great,” Jensen said. “It was exciting to see them get in and earn such important minutes, as they not only held the lead but they increased it while playing against much taller and bigger players.”
Sophomore Amarjob Thind contributed a season-best 10 points and six steals for Oakwood. Mortensen finished with eight points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots.
“This is the type of win that will make our team that much stronger,” Jensen said. “We received zero points this evening from our two leading scorers, being out of action, and yet our other players really stepped up and filled in so superbly.”
