Sobrato didn’t get a flashy win, but it got the win it needed over San Jose Thursday night.
With the Bulldogs’ 11th West Valley Division win — a 37-28 decision over San Jose — the girls basketball team clinched at least a tie for the title with two games to play.
Sobrato needs a win in either of its two remaining games or a loss from Lincoln to clinch an outright title and complete the turn around from last year’s 0-14 league season.
“We’re thrilled. We’re excited. Even the first eight wins, the first nine wins we just knew that they deserved this, especially with all the work they put in since last year,” said coach Erica Wallace. “The fact they bought into the system and everything. It’s great to have the results that you desire. It’s great to see the results they deserve.”
Lincoln won its game Thursday at Prospect, 46-26 leaving Sobrato’s fate in its own hands.
The Bulldogs got off to a slow start, putting up just three points in the first quarter. Conversely, San Jose never got rolling either.
The SJ Bulldogs scored six and then went stale in the second quarter as well.
San Jose scored five in the second. After the Bulldogs scored their 11th point, they went cold until well into the third quarter.
Sobrato went on a 13-0 run that lasted until the 3:19 mark of the third quarter.
“(The girls) were kind of very hesitant and kind of holding back from their own game,” Wallace said. “They were soft and cold and it took us a couple of quarters. After half time I got to do what I always do — just yell at them and tell them what we need to fix and adjust — and always, they do what I say.”
The Bulldogs never allowed a double-digit scoring quarter and Wallace credited it with the team switching defenses in the game.
“They requested man and started playing man and they started talking more. It changed the whole game,” Wallace said.
Leading the charge offensively was Hazel Hill with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Tauheedah Id-Deen followed with 10 points and six boards, followed by Karly Rebozzi with eight points.
Vanessa Gonzalez led the team with rebounds, pulling down 15, adding four points.
“Some of her stats it might not show up in the stat book with shots and what not,” Wallace said. “Offensively, she didn’t shoot like she wanted to, but her pushing the ball, her having the ball in her hands and going through defenders — splitting defenders and pushing it up the court — that was the whole center of our offense.”
She added Gonzalez helped to make the night smooth and helped to open up options for the rest of the offense.
Sobrato will get its first crack at clinching the league out right Tuesday when the Bulldogs travel to Del Mar for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
