Redwoods men win John Hogue title
A week ago the Corsairs fell by double-digits to Mendocino.
On Saturday, the two teams clashed again in the championship round of the John Hogue Memorial Tournament.
You know what they say — good teams are tough to beat once. Twice? Even harder to do.
Redwoods certainly qualifies. Zac Claus made six 3-pointers and led the way with 22 points as College of the Redwoods men’s basketball downed Mendocino college 81-78 to earn the first John Hogue championship in program history, Saturday night in Ukiah.
The tournament, a yearly event since 1972, has been one Redwoods has attended most years.
Redwoods had never won it, until Saturday.
“Our guys are tough, their will is strong and they care that much,” Redwoods head coach Ryan Bisio said. “I think the work we did in the previous two days at this tournament set the stage for what we did tonight.”
Redwoods advanced to Saturday’s title game with wins over Modesto and Sacramento City College by scores of 83-71 and 83-67.
Against Mendocino, Redwoods faced a team which had hung nearly 100 points on it in a 91-78 loss on Nov. 15.
But the ‘Woods wrote a different script Saturday.
Redwoods led 44-31 at the break only to see Mendocino climb back over the course of the second-half. A steal by Isaac Puzz late in the game preserved
a slim lead for Redwoods in the one-possession victory.
Redwoods made 12 3-pointers as a team.
Drew Gillette added 15 points for Redwoods (8-3) in the win while Thomas Nelson scored 11 and Bradley Willis, 10. Claus made a trio of 3-balls in each half and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Nelson and Donald Willis earned alltournament team nods.
Redwoods will enjoy a couple weeks off before playing its home-opener Dec. 5 against Sierra College.