Santa Rosa boys basketball team falls just short, 67-64

Austyn Hopkins goes up for a shot in Tuesday night's game. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

By Parker Costin, Correspondent

The California Lutheran High boys basketball team came out on top against the Santa Rosa Academy Rangers 67-64 on Tuesday night.

This improves the C-Hawks’ record to 8-5 while the Rangers drop to 11-6. The C-Hawks’ top scorer on the night was Ethan Ash, who shot nearly a perfect 12-for-13 while recording 25 points. Ash also was a huge help on the board for the C-Hawks, recording a total of 6 rebounds on the night.

The Rangers, despite the loss, played nearly a perfect game both on offense and defense. Their points came primarily from behind the arc, with 12 3-pointers being made throughout the game. Senior Austyn Hopkins was one of the top scorers on the night for the Rangers, shooting 6-for-12, putting up 13 points, and also recording 4 assists. Chris Jones was also a standout for the Rangers, putting up 11 points on the night and also recording a block on defense.

The Rangers showed great teamwork on offense, moving the ball around the court with 8 assists, which allowed others to score and get great fastbreak baskets. This allowed the Rangers to sneak past the C-Hawks defense and get in quick easy layups or draw them away from the perimeter, allowing wide-open 3-point shots. The Rangers also capitalized on second-chance shots while adding up a total of 9 offensive rebounds throughout the course of the game.

The Rangers’ defense was a massive lockdown over the C-Hawks, especially in the third quarter, when they only allowed 2 points throughout 8 minutes while also going on an 11-point run. They also showed great perimeter defense, holding the C-Hawks to only one 3-pointer throughout the game. Their interior defense, however, gave up a majority of the C-Hawks baskets from second-chance shots. This game relied primarily on defense and was a huge reason the game was low-scoring.

C-Hawks head coach Tim Treder commented on Ethan Ash’s standout performance.

“He got great shot opportunities throughout the night and he was able to capitalize on those, so when you get those opportunities you pretty much are guaranteed free points,” he said.

Treder also made a statement about the team’s overall performance.

“They showed great determination all night, especially when they were down, and they played aggressively, which is a big reason we were able to come away with the win tonight.”

The Rangers look to bounce back from this tough loss when they take on the Bobcats of Hamilton High School on Thursday night at home.

Santa Rosa's Chris Jones applies tough defense during the game. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

 Cory Moore drives for a layup during Tuesday night's game. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

 Mycah Mason drives to the hoop for a shot for Santa Rosa Academy. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)