Monessen defeats California, 68-56
CALIFORNIA – Any basketball coach will tell you that two prime ingredients to winning are rebounding and scoring, getting the points, and if you miss a shot, or ditto your opponent, then that is the only shot they will get, as you take command of the boards. Coach Joe Salvino will say “amen” to that theory, after his Monessen charges began to pull away early in the second half and went on to defeat host California, 68-56, in exhibition basketball play Tuesday night.
Monessen led by eight at intermission (33-25), then California opened the second half with a long three-pointer from Woody Stewart, Ryan Robinson’s steal and layup, and Robinson again from in close, cutting the Greyhound lead to one, 33-32.
That would be as close as the Trojans would get for Monessen answered with A.J. Jackson’s shot from the circle and Jamie Martinez’s off a rebound. Stewart laid in a Robinson pass for Cal, and then the Hounds retorted with Delroy Ross’ two from the line, Martinez off a rebound, who made it a 3-point play, and the Hounds were on their way, 42-34.
California got back within four (46-42) on layins by Rick Cope and Robinson, around a Jackson free toss, but Ross swished a long three and Scott Myshin drove the lane, around Stewart’s rebound goal, and the Hounds led 51-44 after three.
Myshin opened the fourth with a short jumper, Martinex canned a 12-footer, and Robert Youngblood got a layup off a steal, opening up a 13-point lead, 57-44. The closest California would get after that was 12 at the end, as Dan DeMoss drove the baseline and made it three when he was fouled.
Andy Galis got a steal and a layin, and Thom Russell a goal from the side, setting the final score of 68-56.
Salvino said, “I was pleased with the way we played, especially with the way the five in the game worked together as a unit. You are always happy to see a unit play so well together on defense like that, and that is one big part of the game that we stress.”
Late in the fourth, the Hounds (11-4) killed the clock for the better part of two minutes, working the ball around.
“We had a big lead so we worked on the clock. I thought we played good defense. California got one shot, and I’m hoping that we will get better in this part of our game,” Salvino said.
The Hounds were led by A.J. Jackson’s game-high 27 points with his 11 goals coming from about as many angles, in front, to the side, up the lane, on the wing, layups, you name it.
Salvino noted, “Jackson has worked on his outside game, and sometimes we let him get to the outside, but we would rather keep him inside where he’s our ‘go to’ guy. He put in a lot of work the past summer on his outside game.”
California coach Steve Luko felt “rebounds were a very big factor, they killed us on the boards. We got one shot and they got the rebounds. We did make comebacks in scoring, and got close to them several times, but then we would make a turnover or miss a shot, and they would spurt away from us. Monessen is a very fast, quick offensive team. We (coaches) told our players they would be quick, in our face, and they would crash the boards.”
The Trojan (10-5) coach was also “pleased with the character and hustle we showed, making a nice rebound from a big loss to Geibel.”
Along with Jackson’s 27, Ross had 14 and Martinez 11 for Monessen.
DeMoss led Cal with 15, Stewart had 13, and Cope and Robinson 12.
Monessen led at the quarters 17-14, 33-25, and 51-44.
California returns to action tonight at Frazier, then hosts Mapletown on Friday.