Flames’ losing skid hits double digits
A scramble for a loose ball toward the end of the third quarter seemed to have given the Lodi High boys basketball team chances against Tracy in Friday’s Tri-City Athletic League opener at The Inferno.
But the Bulldogs sank their teeth into their defense and free throws in the final minutes of the fourth quarter to post a 66-59 win over Lodi. The loss officially puts Lodi (0-1 in the TCAL, 3-15) on a 10-game losing skid; the Flames last win was a 66-42 decision over Pacheco of Los Banos at The Inferno on Dec. 14.
Lodi guard Jaylin Reed was one of a half-dozen players, including some from Tracy (10 in the TCAL, 12-4), who looked to take control of the ball in front of the Flames’ arc. Reed (13 points) picked up the ball, and as time ticked off the clock, and confidently sank a 3-pointer with no time remaining. The basket trimmed the Bulldogs’ lead to 48-35 entering the final quarter. Reed had three treys in the second half.
“His shooting was pretty good, but he’s had games where he’s shot better,” said Lodi coach Dave Nutting. “He’s had games where he’s had seven, eight threes. He’s starting to catch on fire.”
In the first six minutes of the final quarter, the Bulldogs’ defense made noise, forcing Lodi turnovers at near the Flames’ net and midcourt. But the Flames overcame most of their miscues during that same time frame to keep
pace with Tracy, 59-49 with a 1:47 left in the game. After Lodi guard Raees Khan (team-high 16 points) hit a bank shot to cut the lead to 10 points, Nutting rushed onto the floor to signal to one of the referees for a time out.
“I thought we would be able to keep (Reed) out in front of us,” said Tracy coach Junior Cueva. “He hit three (threes), NBA range. You’ve got to tip your hat off ... he made a couple of good drives.”
After each team traded possessions, Lodi cut into the Bulldogs’ lead again to 59-51 with 1:30 remaining after Khan hit two free throws. Khan, one of five seniors on the team, connected on all four of his charity shots in the final quarter.
But in the final 90 seconds of the game, Tracy canned 5of-10 free throws, which included three from guard Lamont Couch Jr. Those counted down the stretch against Lodi, which made 4 of 4 in the same time frame.
“They are really athletic,” said Nutting of the Bulldogs’ roster that features 10 players who are 6-foot and taller. “We haven’t played a team that athletic.”
Cueva added, “They (Lodi) drove the ball hard. I thought we played well defensively.”
Tracy led 26-11 with two minutes left in the second quarter. But Lodi went into halftime with a 6-0 run, thanks to its defense forcing two Bulldog turnovers.
The first quarter saw the Bulldogs leap to a 16-9 lead. Many of its points were thanks to Lodi turnovers near the Flames’ net.
Lodi has four players who scored in double digits. Behind
Khan’s points was center John Durham at 14 points. After Reed’s points was guard Nathan Foster at 10.
The Flames host Lincoln, which lost to West 65-64 also on Friday, at The Inferno next Wednesday.