Imperial High's Dexter Bell shoots against El Capitan High on Tuesday in Imperial. (Fernando Acosta Jr.) |
IMPERIAL — The Imperial High boys’ basketball team helped put on a clinic on how to excite a crowd, beating El Capitan High, 66-63, in a thrilling overtime first-round CIF-San Diego Section Division III playoff game here Tuesday.
“It felt good,” Imperial Tigers sophomore guard Royce Freeman said. “Our team knew what to do because we’ve been in these situations before, in crucial overtime games.”
The game was neck-and-neck throughout the entire night, with several lead changes that never went into double figures.
Defense was the main focus for the Tigers, who knew that Vaqueros senior shooter Tyson Kygar was deadly from 3-point range.
“I told our guys that his shooting range was when he walked into the game,” Imperial coach Dave Milan said.
“Early on and later when we relaxed, he made those shots, but other than that the guys handled it,” he said.
The entire game was a continuing back-and-forth battle, with Imperial looking to senior Marcelluz Smith as the team struggled to get into a groove offensively while trying with all its might to stave off El Capitan.
The Tigers relinquished yet another lead late in the final period of regulation, relying on Freeman to tie the game with five seconds left.
All seemed lost for Imperial when the Vaqueros found junior Travis Hulsey five feet from the basket with no one from Imperial on the defensive half of the court.
Yet in the two seconds it took for Hulsey to receive the ball, square up to the basket, and begin his shot, Freeman flew from seemingly nowhere to swat the ball and preserve overtime.
“I was just going to try to get there before he made the shot,” Freeman said. “I went all out for that play.
“I knew if I didn’t get there, he would make it,” he said.
The Tigers were able to repel yet another impressive El Capitan comeback in overtime, winning 66-63 to advance to the next round.
Smith had 18 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals, while Freeman had 15 points, nine assists, seven rebounds, three steals and three blocks.
Junior Dexter Bell earned 15 points and seven rebounds and sophomore Dajon Staton added 10 points and three steals for the Tigers.
“We’ve tried to pride ourselves on playing really good defense,” Milan said, “and offensively it was a just a community effort.”
Imperial (19-8, 6-0 Desert League) will play Friday night, but the court was not yet known as of press time. If Mount Miguel beat La Jolla, the Tigers would travel to Mount Miguel, but would host if La Jolla won.
“It felt good,” Imperial Tigers sophomore guard Royce Freeman said. “Our team knew what to do because we’ve been in these situations before, in crucial overtime games.”
The game was neck-and-neck throughout the entire night, with several lead changes that never went into double figures.
Defense was the main focus for the Tigers, who knew that Vaqueros senior shooter Tyson Kygar was deadly from 3-point range.
“I told our guys that his shooting range was when he walked into the game,” Imperial coach Dave Milan said.
“Early on and later when we relaxed, he made those shots, but other than that the guys handled it,” he said.
The entire game was a continuing back-and-forth battle, with Imperial looking to senior Marcelluz Smith as the team struggled to get into a groove offensively while trying with all its might to stave off El Capitan.
The Tigers relinquished yet another lead late in the final period of regulation, relying on Freeman to tie the game with five seconds left.
All seemed lost for Imperial when the Vaqueros found junior Travis Hulsey five feet from the basket with no one from Imperial on the defensive half of the court.
Yet in the two seconds it took for Hulsey to receive the ball, square up to the basket, and begin his shot, Freeman flew from seemingly nowhere to swat the ball and preserve overtime.
“I was just going to try to get there before he made the shot,” Freeman said. “I went all out for that play.
“I knew if I didn’t get there, he would make it,” he said.
The Tigers were able to repel yet another impressive El Capitan comeback in overtime, winning 66-63 to advance to the next round.
Smith had 18 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals, while Freeman had 15 points, nine assists, seven rebounds, three steals and three blocks.
Junior Dexter Bell earned 15 points and seven rebounds and sophomore Dajon Staton added 10 points and three steals for the Tigers.
“We’ve tried to pride ourselves on playing really good defense,” Milan said, “and offensively it was a just a community effort.”
Imperial (19-8, 6-0 Desert League) will play Friday night, but the court was not yet known as of press time. If Mount Miguel beat La Jolla, the Tigers would travel to Mount Miguel, but would host if La Jolla won.
