The Flying Tigers are making their move in a wide-open race for the Sonoma County League basketball title, rising to the top as they complete their first trip around the SCL circuit.
At the start of play this week the Tigers were 5-1 in league, a half game up on Piner (4-1), Petaluma (4-2) and Healdsburg (3-3) in a dog-fight for the upper division. Rounding out the league standings are Elsie Allen (2-3), Sonoma Valley (2-4) and El Molino (0-6).
The Tigers finished up the first half of league last week with wins over El Molino (64-47) and Elsie Allen (48-37) in pushing their overall record to 14-6. With their lone SCL blemish coming in a loss to Healdsburg two weeks ago, Analy will be looking to run the table down the stretch.
“For the second half of league we’ll need to make some adjustments, as most of the teams know what we’re doing,” Analy coach Brett Page said. “We’re happy with the way the team has come together in the absence of (injured) Aidan Toner-Rodgers. We know the second half of league will be tough and our plan is to deal with one game at a time. It will probably take all three weeks to crown a champion this season,” he added.
Analy will kick of the second half of league on Friday, Jan. 29 against visiting Sonoma Valley, followed by a Monday, Feb. 1 trip to Piner. Game times starting with the frosh are 4:30/6/7:30 p.m.
El Molino (4-16, 0-6) resumes SCL play this week with scheduled home games against Petaluma on Jan. 27 (after press time), and Piner (Jan. 29). The Lions will visit Healdsburg next Monday, Feb. 1 (4:30/6/7:30 p.m.).
Tigers notch a pair
Analy opened a winning stretch last week with a visit to cross-town rival El Molino on Jan. 20, rebounding from a customary slow start with a strong second half contribution from their bench en route to a 64-47 win.
“We’ve had a tendency to start slow and then pick it up in the second and third quarters,” Page noted. “We have a lot of weapons and it’s difficult for the other team to focus on one guy.”
Dominic Tripodi picked up the slack in the absence of Toner-Rodgers, contributing a team-high 18 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Other top scorers for the Tigers were Nick Fujii (12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals), Jordan Armstrong (8 points, 9 boards, 2 assists, 3 blocks), Aidan Vermuelen (6 points, 3 rebounds), Jack Newman (4 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 2 steals), Travis Holmes (4 points, 2 steals, block), Joe Chanin-Meiers (3 points, 3 assists), David Codoni (3 points) and two points each from Eric Bendyke, Spencer Vogel, and Anthony Narvaez.
Top scorers for El Mo were Eric Nils-Carlson (12), Jordan Kerkvliet (12), Kahleo Daly (11), Ryan Fernandez (7), Jake Peter 2, Ian Siegert 2 and Austin Sani (1).
The Tigers turned in a good defensive effort two nights later holding Elsie Allen to one of its lowest point totals of the season. Analy busted open a tight game with a 17-7 run in the second quarter, and held off a late second-half rally to notch a 48-37 win.
Top point-producers for the Tigers were Armstrong (13 points, 8 boards, 3 blocks), Fujii (10 points, 3 threes), Vogel (10 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals), Tripodi (5 points, 1 rebound), Chanin-Meiers (4 points, 1 rebound), Vermuelen (3 points, 3 rebounds) and Holmes (2 points, 4 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals).
