Wildcats use balanced attack to defeat Heritage, 72-65

Paloma Valley's Ameer Sharif goes up for two points Wednesday night. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

By Paige Mendez, Correspondent

The Paloma Valley boys basketball team took a 72-65 victory over their rival, Heritage, in a home game Wednesday night.

The Wildcats started on an 8-3 run but the Patriots’ Aaron Contreras hit two shots from behind the arc back-to-back to take the 9-8 lead. Though the score stayed close through the first quarter, the last time Heritage saw the lead was just three minutes before the half. In those three minutes, Paloma ran away with it, bringing the score to 43-31 at the buzzer.

At the start of the third quarter, Paloma had out-rebounded Heritage 21-6 and had three players with over 10 points, while the Patriots’ leading scorer—Contreras—was at 9 points.

Those differences started to show even more in the third quarter.

After a Wildcat technical foul was called due to a substitution error that left six players on the court, the Patriots’ Donovan Larry made both the free throws and brought the score to 47-57 -- the closest Heritage would get until the final minute of the game.

With just under two minutes to go, Paloma was up by 13 points. A rally from Heritage (two 3-pointers from Contreras being the most notable contribution) brought them within seven by the end of it.

Contreras ended the night with 27 points, leading both teams in 3-pointers made and overall scoring. But Heritage head coach Nyron Jones said that, after a loss, individual stats don’t mean as much.

“Maybe that’s the old school mentality I was raised with,” said Jones. “But I don’t let anyone look at the stats book after a loss because I don’t want them to be selfish about it.”

That selflessness he is trying to teach goes beyond basketball, as well.

“We try to get out and do community service as a team,” he said. “Because it’s about more than basketball and we want to instill that in these kids.”

On the other side of the court, the Wildcats had three players with over 10 points, two of whom earned double-doubles with over 10 boards as well.

Paloma head coach Darius Randolph said the rebounding effort was something he had been pushing for in practice.

“We’ve played great defense in other games but not as well on the other side, or vice versa, and tonight we saw a more complete version of our game,” he said. “I am overjoyed at that, because I’ve been wanting them to see the difference when they go for the rebounds and play tough defense and score big.”

Senior Ameer Sharif, who finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds—six of which were offensive—said his coach’s efforts to get more team rebounds worked on him.

“I took it to heart because I really wanted this win,” said Sharif. “I had to push myself even further to make sure we got those second chances and easy buckets.”

Tyree Cardwell, the other Wildcat with a double-double, said a big factor in the win was team chemistry.

“Sometimes our teammates get in their heads, but no one was really in their heads tonight,” Cardwell said. “Our team chemistry was iffy at the beginning of the season but we’ve been working together and it’s starting to show in our games.”

Junior guard Taeshawn Armstrong also contributed 17 points to the Wildcat win, while senior Benny Sevilla had 8 boards of his own with 9 points.

Both teams will continue league play on Friday at 6 p.m. The Wildcats (10-10, 3-1) will face Canyon Springs at home, while the Patriots (8-13, 2-2) will travel to Lakeside High.

Benny Sevilla of the Wildcats gets off a shot against Heritage on Wednesday. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

 Heritage's Aaron Contreras led all scorers with 27 points. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

 Heritage's Donovan Larry takes an outside shot against Paloma Valley. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)