The Wildcats fight to hang on to the ball. Photo by Jenny Kirchner

Town Hall Sports Coordinator Jeremy Teeguarden reported on youth basketball for both the College League (kindergarten through third-grade) and the Pro League (third- through sixth-grade) Championship games on Friday, Feb. 15.

College League (Kindergarten through third-grade)

Wooley’s Wildcats were the 2013 College League champions. in the Town Hall Youth Basketball league. Pictured are (back row) coaches Chris Fogle and Lance Fogle; (front row) Briana Garcia, Seth White, Cody Fogle, Macino Reynosa, Oden Johnston, Joel White, (not pictured, Ryder Dittman). Photo by Jenny Kirchner

This week, the College League (grades K-3) began its playoff season continued.

On Tuesday, Feb. 12, the semi-final games were played. The first game was between the second-seed Rotary Bears and the third-seed Gastrognome Broncos. The Bears held a two-point lead at halftime. Ethan Teeguarden played great leading the Broncos offense and playing tough defense. The Bears broke the game open early in the fourth quarter as Preston Pino made several important baskets. The Bears won the game 19-7 to move into the championship game.

The second game matched the fifth-seed Bluebird Cottage Inn Jayhawks and the first-seed Wooley’s Wildcats. Ethan Scott played great defense and got an early basket to give the Jayhawks the lead. The Wildcats played great in the second half as Cody Fogle got a few breakaway baskets. The Wildcats pulled away and won 18-10 to advance to Friday’s championship game against the Bears.

On Friday, the Gastrognome Broncos took on the Bluebird Cottage Inn Jayhawks in a battle for third place. The Broncos’ defense in the first half held the Jayhawks scoreless. But the Jayhawks’ Fiona McMullen played super in the second half, scoring ten points. Every time the Jayhawks came within a basket, the Broncos’ Layton Teeguarden sank a basket to maintain their lead. The Broncos won the close game 12-10.

In the championship game, the top two seeds — Wooley’s Wildcats and the Rotary Bears — faced off again. The teams split their two regular season games. The Wildcats played outstanding defense the whole game as the Bears struggled to get good looks at the basket the first three quarters. Macino Reynosa played great and scored two baskets and Seth White scored one basket as four different players scored in the first three quarters for the Wildcats. The Bears mounted a late rally as Katelyn Sonnier scored a couple of baskets in the fourth quarter. But the Wildcats won the College League Championship game 18-8.

Pro League (Third- through sixth-grade)

The Fairway Market Lakers were the Town Hall Youth Pro League Basketball champions in 2013. Pictured are (back row) coach Koosje Pino, Miren Pino, Jeremiah Whitney, Stefan Carman, Isaiah Carman and coach Noah Whitney; (front row) Jadon Meskimen, Lilah Whitney, Jake Carlson and Jimmy Lande. Photos by Jenny Kirchner

On Monday, Feb. 11, the playoffs started with two semifinal games. In the first game, the fourth-seeded Town Crier Cavs played the top seed Fairway Market Lakers. The game was close and both teams played great in stretches. Payton Priefer led a balanced attack with six points. Six different players scored to keep the Cavs ahead much of the game. The Lakers rallied late in the fourth quarter to tie the game and send it into overtime. Both teams traded baskets and eventually a third overtime period was needed to determine a winner. The Lakers’ Stephan Carmen hit a critical three-pointer and the Lakers won a thrilling game, 22-20, and advanced to the championship game.

The Lakers struggle to shoot against the Clippers. Photo by Jenny Kirchner
The second game pitted the second-seed Idyllwild Arts Clippers and the third-seed Suburban Propane Heat. The Clippers played outstanding at both ends of the floor. They held the Heat scoreless in the first half. Fernando Garcia scored five points as the Clippers built a double-digit lead, 10-0, at halftime. The Heat didn’t give up and battled back in the third quarter as Brian Mabery hit a shot to pull the Heat to within a basket. While the Heat played superb defense in the second half, the Clippers got the key defensive stops late in the game and won another great game.

On Friday, Feb. 15, the battle for third place was between the Town Crier Cavs and the Suburban Propane Heat. The Heat’s Jake Mabery led his team in scoring again with eight points and played great defense. The Cavs played awesome as they put on the best passing display by any team all year. Joseph Tiso had his best game of the year and scored six points to lead his team. The Cavs held the lead the whole game and got key baskets from Aly Fogle in the second half and won the game 17-12.

The Pro League Championship game also matched the top two seeds — the Fairway Market Lakers and the Idyllwild Arts Clippers, who jumped to an early lead on great defense and led 12-4 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Lakers’ Isaiah Carmen got hot and led a Lakers’ comeback. They took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter. This was one of the most thrilling championship games in recent memory. The game went back and forth as Stefan Carmen hit a big basket for the Lakers. The Clippers Chayton Kenyon then got hot from three-point range sinking three in the fourth quarter. Every time the Lakers scored, he answered with a three-point basket. Isaiah hit a three-pointer for the Lakers, who re-gained the the lead with less than a minute to go. The Clippers fouled to put the Lakers on the line where Jeremiah Whitney hit one of two free throws to give the Lakers a two-point lead. The Clippers last shot from outside the three-point arc with seconds remaining was just short as time ran out. The Lakers won their third consecutive championship game 23-21 in an unbelievable finish to a great game.

Send sports reports about locals to [email protected] or drop them off at the Town Crier by 10 a.m. Mondays. Photos are also welcome. If sending by email, resolution must be at least 300 dpi.