IN SPORTS: HAWKS HOLD OFF THE FLAMES
GALT — Jalen Patterson has scored his fair share of points for Liberty Ranch the last two years.
But the junior guard scored three critical points that were the difference against Lodi in an area nonleague high school boys basketball game at The Hawks Nest on Tuesday. That led to Liberty Ranch (3-0) posting a 65-63 win over Lodi, which was playing its first game of the season. The Flames had two game canceled last week due to the air quality from the Camp Fire in Butte County.
Lodi (0-1) led 63-62 with nine seconds left in the fourth quarter. Coming out of a timeout, Hawk guard Jaime Gonzalez inbounded the ball to a running Patterson, who fired the shot near the baseline that gave Liberty Ranch a 64-62 lead. Patterson finished with a gamehigh 28 points.
While he sank the ball through the net, Patterson was fouled. After celebrating his go-ahead shot with teammates, Patterson walked to the free throw line and made his and-1 shot, for a 65-63 score.
The Flames inbounded the ball, and went three-year guard Jaylin Reed, who finished with 14 points. The senior attempted a 3-pointer that barely missed. Then a group of Lodi players battled for the offensive rebound, but a Liberty Ranch player was able to steal the loose ball away and kept possession to stay undefeated.
“This was our first game, and we wanted to be physical,” said first-year Lodi coach Scott Woznick. “We wanted them to play our game, make them earn everything they got. It was a back and forth game; both teams were competitive.”
Lodi took a 61-60 lead under three minutes in the final quarter. Forward Jason Myers, who forced many Hawk turnovers in the second due to his swiping or grabbing the basketball away, forced a Liberty Ranch turnover and scored on a lay-up. The Flames’ defense heated up against the Hawks’ fast-pace offense, which led to many Hawk turnovers at mid-court or not able to get an offensive rebound after initial shots at the rim.
Liberty Ranch entered the final quarter with a 51-49 lead. The Hawks led from late in the second quarter until Myers’ go-ahead basket in the final minutes of the game.
Behind Patterson in scoring for the Hawks were guards Jaime Gonzalez and Isaac Padilla with nine points each. Guard Josh Seiler followed with eight points, center Paul Kessler five, forward Hayden Baroni four and guard Gabriel Nino two.
Lodi forward Marcell Roberts was one of four players who scored in double figures with 15 points. Reed followed at 14 points and Myers 13. The Flames’ front court players of Roberts and Myers had more points, combined, than the Hawks’ front court players.
“We’re playing well together, not being selfish and attacking the hoop,” Woznick said.
Other Lodi scorers were Logan Stout with four points, and Erville Dela Cruz, Nathan Shoup and Matt Nickel two points each.
Patterson, a three-year starter, has scored more than 1,200 points in his first two years at Galt’s second high school that opened its doors in 2009.
Tuesday was the second consecutive night that Liberty Ranch has beaten Lodi in basketball. On Monday, the Liberty Ranch girls’ squad posted a 50-41 win over Lodi.