No. 6 Panthers get No. 11 Hounds, 63-55
No. 6 Porterville beat No. 11 Atascadero, No. 3 Centennial up next
Atascadero wouldn’t go down easy but sixth-seeded Porterville High School had enough in the tank to pull away and get a 63-55 victory over the eleventh-seeded Greyhounds in Tuesday’s CIF Central Section Division II opening round boys basketball game at home.
Porterville (19-10, 8-2 EYL) led from the beginning but eleventh-seeded Atascadero (15-12) had a big game from the 3-point line in the fourth — scoring 18 of their 22 points from three — and tied the score 52-52 with five minutes to play.
“We had a lead from the beginning but they stayed right with us,” PHS head coach Lance Wallace said. “Every time we would stretch it to seven, eight or nine, blink our eyes and here it is a two or four-point game. Just like there in the fourth quarter, I think we got up 10 with a couple minutes left and they hit three straight three’s and we just allowed it to happen.
“We’re going to have to clean that up for Thursday night otherwise this will be it for us,” Wallace added. Porterville travels to third-seeded Centennial (14-13) Thursday for a quarterfinal game.
The Panthers’ Nash Wobrock finished with a teamhigh 23 points while teammate Dane Odsather had 13, but it was a combination of Wobrock and center Joseph Catalina that sealed the win for Porterville. The two combined for 17 points in the final quarter.
Catalina, who finished with 10, was a difference maker in the paint. At the free throw line Catalina was 4-of-4 in the final minutes, making two big free throws that gave the Panthers a 55-52 lead. Then with 1:30 to play, Catalina finished off a missed shot by Odsather for two and was down the court in a flash to take a charge and keep Porterville’s lead at 57-52.
“Our boys have been playing together now for the whole season, they know they can go to the basket, throw it
it up to Joseph and he’s going to go get it,” Wallace said. “And even if they throw a shot up or shoot a ball and it doesn’t go in, he’s usually there to clean it up. He does a really good job at that. That’s one of his strong qualities for our team, he cleans up offensive mess.”
Porterville went to the free throw line four times in the final minute of the game. Wobrock went 4-of-4 and Matthew Rivera hit both his free throws to secure the Panthers’ win.
“I think the thing I really like about this team is, yeah there’s Nash and there’s Dane, but no one has to step up and be a star every night,” Wallace said.” I think Joseph can step up on any given night. Adam (Daguman), Matthew — obviously Dane and Nash can do it — and even Landon (Sharp). There’s been times this year where one of them step up when the other two aren’t playing particularly well. So I think it’s just been a great team effort this whole season. I’m proud of them.”
On Thursday the East Yosemite League champion Panthers once again face Centennial, who Poterville beat 71-57 at home earlier this season.
“We’re going to have to play our A-game to beat them there Thursday night,” Wallace said. “But we have a chance.”
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Porterville 6 Reedley 3
Porterville College women’s tennis defeated Reedley 6-3 in a Big 8 South Conference game Tuesday on the road.
In singles, No. 3 Zoe Vasquez lost her first match 6-4 but won the next two 6-4, 6-3; No. 4 Annabelle Rivera won 7-5, 6-3, No. 5 Marisa Rios won 6-0, 6-1 and No. 6 Paola Villanueva won 6-0, 6-0.
For doubles, No. 2 Vasquez and Rivera won 8-5 and No. 3 Rios and Villanueva won 8-0.