Sports
BOYS BASKETBALL: Fourth Quarter Resurgence leads Pinewood to victory in CCS Division V Title Game
Mid-Peninsula's Lydell Cardwell scored a game-high 35 points; but it wasn't enough to propel them against the Panthers in the most important game of the season.
The Score: Pinewood 71, Mid Peninsula 66
The Star: Sophomore big man Solomone Wolfgramm scored a team high 21 points for Pinewood (21-5, 11-3 WBAL) and also pulled down 20-plus rebounds in the win. A 13-5 run in the fourth quarter by the Panthers determined the outcome of the CCS Div V Championship.
Mid-Peninsula senior Lydell Cardwell scored a game high 35 points in dazzling fashion, but the hot scorer and the Dragons fell flat in the fourth quarter as the Panthers shifted in gear and took over with their fast breaks and second chance opportunities on the offensive glass.
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Turning Point: Mid Peninsula (21-2, 12-0 PSNL) and Pinewood battled throughout the first half in a closely contended match up. Mid-Peninsula led 32-30 at the break. Things started getting interesting as Pinewood senior Kyle Riches committed his fourth foul in the middle of the third quarter, giving the Dragons a 49-44 lead at the start of the fourth quarter. With seven minutes left in the game, Panthers Coach Jason Peery inserted Riches back in the lineup which turned out to be the crucial piece to Pinewood’s 13-5 run. By the time the burst was over, the Panthers cushioned their lead to 61-55 with three minutes remaining in the game. Riches scored 18 points, highlighted by several tenacious finishes to the rim that diminished any hopes of Mid-Peninsula coming back to claim the section crown.
The Quote: “Well I just know that I couldn’t let my team (Panthers) down by fouling out,” Riches said about his late foul trouble at the end of the third quarter. “I’m so happy right now. You have no idea.” I think all of us are happy. I mean we haven’t done this in 14 or 15 years.”
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What’s Next? Pinewood can’t celebrate it’s milestone achievement just yet. As a top two finisher in the section, Pinewood and Mid-Peninsula will await Sunday night’s unveiling on the NorCal tournament brackets. State Tournament play begins next week.
Bottom Line: Pinewood’s Wolfgramm and Riches accounted for 39 of the 71 Panthers points, but it was their ferocious defensive rebounding and fearless second chance opportunities on the offensive side that elevated them to their first championship in over a decade.
