Sobrato loses final preseason game, 66-54
By Chris Wolf Staff writer
As Terra Nova Tigers of Pacifica came down the coast Saturday to face the Sobrato Bulldogs basketball team, Coach Lawrence Crawford was busy preparing his team for their final game before it counts.
The Bulldogs entered their last game of the preseason with a record of 4-7, needing some definite improvement before the start of the regular season.
“When you start losing,” said Crawford, “sometimes you stop believing.” For the young Bulldog team without any seniors, confidence seems to be a problem.
But with league play just around the corner, the Bulldogs appeared healthy and in control – winning the opening tip and pressuring the Tiger hoop in the early minutes of the game.
Several possession changes proved fruitless for either side, but Bulldog Tom Buich stood out early, hitting the boards hard on both sides of the court, bringing the missed shots down. Buich, the 6’5″ 200-pound. sophomore, finished the game with 10 rebounds, pushing his pre-season total to a team-leading 92.
The first quarter of play proved fast, but low-scoring, and ended with Sobrato trailing the Tigers, 3-6.
Junior Guard Mubarik Abdullahi got things started for the Bulldogs in the second period when he drove the hoop and hooked the ball in for two. Terra Nova Guard Wierzba responded with a quick three-pointer, but Bulldog Malcolm Halcrombe kept his team close by rising above the competition and putting the ball away.
The Bulldog defense then held the Tigers off, and Abdullahi, who leads the team in assists, took the ball down court and found Guard Marqus Crawford behind the three-point line. Crawford, who had a game-leading 26 points, nailed the shot and gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game, 10-9.
Halcrombe helped push the Bulldogs ahead on their next possession, drawing a foul on his way to a lay-up, then hitting the free throw for the three-point play.
The game stayed close throughout the first half, with Crawford and Abdullahi leading the Bulldog charge, and players Buich and Halcrombe playing tough down low.
Proving that good defense creates offense, Abdullahi came up with a steal late in the half and drove the length of the court for another quick bucket to tie it up 27-27 at the half.
Terra Nova came out of the locker room and scored 5 points before the Bulldogs knew what hit them, but the tides turned quickly after Sobrato Guard Mark Garma hit a three-pointer from the baseline, followed by a quick steal and another 3 points from Crawford. Despite the slow start, the Bulldogs played their best basketball of the night in the third period, with solid defense, and fast breaks toward the Tiger hoop.
Twice Abdullahi ran down the court with the ball, and twice he found Crawford open and able to deliver.
But as the fourth period of play began, the Bulldogs were unable to keep up with the Tiger’s offense. Whereas most of the game had been a back-and-forth battle, the Tigers dominated the final period.
The Bulldogs managed to get to the Tiger hoop a few times, but had trouble scoring. With the Tigers shooting consistently and timing running out, the Bulldogs found themselves down 46-54 with just 3:27 remaining in the game.
The Terra Nova lead proved insurmountable, and the Bulldogs lost 66-54. But they weren’t hanging their heads.
Looking ahead, Coach Crawford said he is very optimistic.
“There’s a fine line between winning and losing,” he said, “And I think that being in these close games will be good for us in the long run.”
The Bulldogs finished the pre-season with a 4-8-0.
Their upcoming game with the Salinas Cowboys today at Sobrato will be their first varsity league game, and they’re going into the contest with an emphasis in putting the past behind them and doing well in league play.
