The Flying Tigers got a reality check on the Sonoma County League basketball circuit last week, scoring an even split in a pair of games.
Analy (12-6) opened the stretch with a disappointing 62-50 loss at Healdsburg on Jan. 12, but bounced back in a big way two nights later with a 56-44 win over visiting Petaluma.
The key word after four SCL games this year may be parity, with just one game separating six teams. At press time the Tigers were in a tie with Piner atop the league standings at 3-1, followed by Elsie Allen (2-1), Petaluma (2-2), Healdsburg (2-2) and Sonoma Valley (2-2). El Molino is the lone team without a win at 0-5.
Analy will be back on the SCL court on Jan. 19 (after press time), at El Molino, followed by a Thursday, Jan. 21, date with visiting Elsie Allen (4:30/6/7:30 p.m.)
Tigers gain split
The Flying Tigers ran into a buzz-saw on Jan. 12, at Healdsburg, taking the court against a fired-up Greyhound squad that hadn’t beaten them in a decade. This game would follow a different script as Healdsburg set the tone with an energetic start that had them in front 11-8 at the end of one.
The Hounds, led by their ‘big three’ of Landon Courtman, Juan Aguilar, and Josiah Vasquez, maintained an advantage throughout the second quarter to take a 23-19 lead into the half.
Analy fought an uphill battle after intermission, as the Hounds worked to throtthe Tigers’ vaunted run-and-gun offense. Leading by eight after three quarters, the Greyhounds held off a late Tigers rally to ice the game at the line en route to a 62-50 win. Dominic Tripodi led the offense with 10 points.
“They played great, were fired up, and shot the ball very well,” Analy coach Brett Page said of Healdsburg. “We shot the ball poorly. It was like the Sonoma game all over except we could not do much right.”
The Tigers were without the services of leading scorer Aidan Toner-Rodgers in a Jan. 14, meeting with visiting Petaluma, after he was diagnosed with a broken wrist following the Healdsburg game. He is expected to miss the remainder of the season.
Analy shook off the setback with a spirited effort, racing to a 28-15 lead at the break. The teams played on even terms after intermission as the Tigers cruised to a 56-44 win. Travis Holmes paced the attack with 14 points, while Jordan Armstrong chipped in nine points and 14 rebounds. Also playing well off the bench were David Codoni, Anthony Narvaez and Aidan Vermeulen.
“All the boys stepped up their game and we played well,” Page noted. “Jordan Armstrong had a big game as did Travis Holmes. We started sophomore Zach Binsfeld in place of Aidan and he did a great job.”
The Tigers suffered a 55-46 loss to highly ranked Mt. Eden in the Martin Luther King Classic Tournament at Piedmont on Jan. 16. Although no stats were available, guard Nick Fujii turned in a strong effort for Analy.
“Mt. Eden is very good and we’re feeling good knowing that we can compete at that level,” Page said.
