IN SPORTS: LODI, TOKAY SPLIT RIVALRY GAMES
Little did Zoe Faulkner knew that her final free throw was the beginning of good things to come.
The Lodi guard was fouled, with less than five seconds left against Tokay in Thursday’s cross-town and Tri-City Athletic League girls basketball game. She calmly walked to the line to take her two shots. From that point on, despite strong efforts by Tokay, Lodi busted loose in the second half for a 55-40 win over the Tigers, which ended the first round of league action.
The win keeps Lodi (4-0 in the TCAL, 12-9) alone in first place in league by one game ahead of Lincoln. The Flames defeated Lincoln 39-38 on Jan. 16, also at The Inferno. Their second meeting takes place at the Trojans’ gym next Thursday.
Faulkner’s free throw gave Lodi a 24-23 halftime lead. To start the third quarter, the Flames’ defense blanketed the Tigers’ offense with a half-court press that forced Tokay turnovers. That led to a 13-0 run — 14-0 if one is counting Faulkner’s free throw going through the net.
“I felt knocking down a free throw and getting the lead was a good thing,” said Faulkner, who finished with seven points. “As a team, we went into the second half knowing what we needed to fix and focus on, that being our defense.”
The Flames ignited the third quarter with a 3-pointer from guard Malina Nino. That was followed by another trey from guard Marissa Fabian. Combined with baskets from Faulkner, plus four more points from forward Brooke Aberle (game-high 18 points), and that led to the Flames outscoring the Tigers 17-7.
“It was just getting back to playing good defense and holding them to one shot,” said Lodi coach Brandon Shea. “Taking care of the ball. In the second half we did better ... we just frustrated them.”
Added Tokay coach Jennifer Bauer, “We just couldn’t get it together.”
Lodi kept Tokay freshman point guard Chloe Boron-Trotter, whose shots were limited throughout most of the second half and the entire first half. Having scored 36 points against West in a league game on Tuesday, she was held to 11 points.
“We disrupted her flow,” said Shea of Boron-Trotter’s game.
Added Faulkner, “Us working as a team and helping each other out is what I think really helped us get the win.”
Tokay center Anessa Spradely (teamhigh 14 points) hit a short jumper toward
the end of the third quarter, which cut the Flames’ lead to 41-30. That shot was the type of momentum Tokay (1-3 in the TCAL, 11-10) was looking to carry into the final quarter, after being down 41-28 halfway through the third.
“As long as we can get some even scoring, it makes life easier for everybody,” Bauer said. “We just struggled tonight. We had a couple of kids who worked their butts off.”
But Lodi continued to hold its lead over Tokay in the final eight minutes, which continued with defense and forcing turnovers. After Tokay cut into the Flames’ lead at 45-37, Lodi went on another run of 10-0 for a comfortable 55-37 score.
“We’re happy with the win,” Shea said.
At the start of the second quarter, Lodi led 14-6. But the Tigers’ defense flexed its muscle in keeping the Flames’ offense in check most of the time. On offense, Spradely and guard Destiny Lopez scored a combined 10 points, plus five
more from Boron-Trotter, which helped the Tigers tie the game at 23-23 before Faulkner sank her second free throw attempt.
“She definitely dictates what’s going to happen on the court,” said Bauer of Boron-Trotter.
Lodi started the game with a 7-1 run, thanks to missed baskets by the Tigers. Although Tokay never had the lead in the game, it never stopped battling the Flames in the opening quarter and game.
Fabian followed Aberle in scoring with 11 points. Faulkner and Nino seven each, forward Ellie Van Tassel five, center Veronica Alejandrez four and guard Calista Morita three for the Flames.
Behind Spradely and Boron-Trotter in scoring for the Tigers were guard Mira Queirolo-Patino, who finished with seven points, and forward Katie Price and guard Destiny Lopez four each.