Freshmen Tigers claw their way to 42-31 win over PIlots

The ninth-grade boy's basketball team kept sharp over the holidays playing two games against the Glenns Ferry Pilots' "C" team at Glenns Ferry. The young Tigers took both contests from the Pilots.

In the first game on Dec. 22, the young Tigers started out quick behind Tyler Senger and Doug Long as the Tigers jumped out to a 6-0 lead. The Pilots came right back behind Darren Pattison and Arlloldo Gastelum, who scored nine of the Pilots first 12 points to help the Pilots take a 12-10 lead after the first quarter of play.

As the second quarter got under way, both defenses took control. The Tigers got a 3-point goal from Cameron Hale with 20-seconds left in the half to take a 16-13 lead, but Kaden Isaacson canned a two-pointer as time expired to pull the Pilots just one point behind, 16-15, at the intermission.

The Pilots outscored the Tigers 8-7 in the third quarter so things were all square at 23 each going into the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter it was all Tigers as they outscored the Pilots 10-2 to take the 34-25 victory.

Leading scorers for the Tigers were Tyler Senger and Doug Long, each with eight points apiece. Doug also led the team with 11 rebounds. Skyler Quinteal had six points, Jesse Rodriquez had five points, Cameron Hale had four points and Taylor Rector rounded out the scoring with two points for the Tigers. Although they didn't score Mitchel Rodriquez, Robie Ranft, and Ben Dearing helped the team with good defensive minutes off the bench, according to Coach Brian English.

Kaden Isaacson and Pepper Jonovsek each had six points to lead the Pilots. Arlloldo Gastelum and Darren Pattison both had five points, Rue Case had four points and T.J. Christensen rounded out the Pilots' scoring with one point.

In the second game on Dec. 29, it looked as if the young Tigers were going to put the game away early as they rode the inside game of Tyler Senger and Doug Long and the outside game of Cameron Hale and Skyler Quinteal to jump out to a 20-11 lead in the first half.

In the third quarter the Pilots went bombs away on the Tigers, making four three-point shots, two each by T.J. Christensen and Pepper Jonovsek, to outscore the Tigers 14-7 and pull the Pilots to within two, 27-25, going into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter the Tigers had six different players score, led by Jesse Rodriquez coming off the bench and hitting a key three-point shot and adding an inside basket as the Tigers went on a 15-6 run to put the game away 42-31.

Leading scorers again for the Tigers were Doug Long and Tyler Senger with eight points apiece. Cameron Hale and Skyler Quinteal each had six points, Jesse Rodriquez had five points, Tyler Elliott had four points, Michael Daniels had three points and Taylor Rector had two points for the Tigers. Long led the team in rebounds with eight.

For the Pilots T.J. Christensen hit three three-point shots to lead the Pilots with nine points. Pepper Jonovsek, Arlloldo Gastelum and Marcos Garcia each had six points, while Darren Pattison and Kaden Isaacson rounded out the Pilots' scoring with two points each. Gun Nantuthancte, Edgar Arce, Will Irving, and Rue Case all gave the team good minutes off the bench.

"We would like to thank the coaching staff and players from Glenns Ferry for hosting us for these two games," head coach Brian English said. "It was nice to play a couple of games over the holidays, rather than just practice. It really allowed us to work on some things to help us get ready for the second part of our season."

The team improved its record to 4-3 and head back into SIC play on Wednesday, Jan. 6, as they host the Nampa Bulldogs at 6:30 p.m., at the junior high.