TOKAY BASKETBALL WINS FIRST HOME GAME
What the Tokay High boys basketball finished in the third quarter started in the first quarter of Tuesday’s nonleague game against Bear Creek at The Jungle.
Defense set the tone for the Tigers, who ran away with a 77-58 win over the Bruins. This game was the Tigers’ first home game of the season, after playing the bulk of their non-league games and tournaments on the road.
Tuesday’s game was tied at 30-30 to start the third quarter. Then Tokay (6-9) used its defensive pressure on Bear Creek players inside the paint to establish a 9-0 run. Scoring on that streak was guard Austin Dongon, one of two Tigers who scored 18 points in the game. The run was capped off with a steal and a coast-tocoast basket from forward Aiden Green, who had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds that led to a 39-30 score.
“Stick to the game plan,” said Tokay coach Travis Okamoto about his halftime talk with his team. “The goal was to get to the line and be aggressive. I thought we did that. We just tighten things up, defensively.”
Bear Creek coach Anthony Torres called a time out after Green’s bucket that delighted the home crowd with 5:05 remaining in the quarter. After the break, the Bruins broke free from the Tigers’ defensive stance with a 3-pointer to trim Tokay’s advantage to 39-33. But Bear Creek (3-12) continued to miss shots, which led to scoring opportunities for the Tigers, who finished the quarter with 12-8 advantage for a 51-41 lead.
Part of the Tigers’ game plan in the quarter was bringing swingman Cristian Brown off the bench. He scored only four points, but three in the third quarter that Okamoto
felt were also key for the team.
Tokay silenced the Bruins in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. Turnovers near the Bruins’ basket, inside the paint, led to an 8-2 run for a 59-43 lead, en route to the win.
The Tigers and Bruins exchanged leads in the second quarter that led to the halftime tie. A combination of offensive and defensive rebounds, 3-point plays in which some players were fouled while driving toward the basket turnovers led to Tokay and Bear Creek watching the other taking the lead.
In the opening quarter, Tokay forced Bear Creek into eight turnovers. The Bruins were called for six fouls, compared to the Tigers’ two. But Tokay was unable to take advantage of its fortunes at the free throw line; the Tigers sank only 4-of-11 free throws. The Tigers made 16 of 32 in the game.
“I think some of the guys were frustrated that the free throws weren’t going in,” Okamoto said. “I try not to put too much pressure on them.”
Toward the end of the quarter, Bear Creek started making its shots thanks to its rebounding efforts. That was enough to take a 13-11 lead before both squads entered the second quarter exchanging leads.
“With Bear Creek, you know never know when things are going to get going,” said Okamoto of the Bruins’ offense. “They are a little bit like us, they are struggling. But they have players that could go off and score.”
Tokay had four players who scored in double figures in Tuesday’s contest. Behind Green and Dongon were forward Luka Jovic with 15 points, including eight in the pivotal final quarter, and another front court player in forward Jorge Hernandez with 13. Nine of Hernandez’s points came in the first half. Behind Brown in scoring was Brian Solari and Anam Akbar had three points each, Victor Nateras had two and Max Stakovich one.
Leading Bear Creek was guard Nick To, who had a game-high 17 points, and forward Cameron McCants and guard Nathan Torres with nine points each.
On Thursday, Tokay continues its pre-season schedule at Bethel of Vallejo.
“(Tri-City Athletic League) is going to be tough,” said Okamoto, as the Tigers, plus Lodi, open TCAL play action next week. “The schedule last week (playing at the St. Hope Elite Classic) was tough.”