Casa owns fourth quarter for another win over Petaluma

Petaluma could have won, but Casa Grande did win round two of their boys basketball rivalry Saturday night.

After three very evenly contested quarters, Casa Grande’s Gauchos took charge in the final period to triumph in their Coach Ed Iacopi Gymnasium, 67-54.

The win gave the Gauchos a sweep of their two-game series against the Trojans, and improved their record to 16-9 (8-3) in Sonoma County League play, with every game important as they seek to improve their hopes for a North Coast Section playoff home game.

The loss dropped Petaluma to 3-17 for the season and 2-9 in league, but, as they have for the season’s entire second half, the Trojans turned the game into a battle, with the final score giving little indication of the closeness of the contest.

Casa held a narrow four-point lead, 45-41, at the outset of the final quarter, before finally coming alive underneath the basket to take charge.

“We played tough and we played hard, but they got the ball in the hole more than we did,” said Petaluma co-coach Bob Pawlan.

“We shot pretty well,” agreed Casa Grande coach James Forni. “Petaluma works hard, they beat us rebounding and getting after loose balls, but we hit our shots.”

Petaluma played one of its best offensive games of the season, using its balanced scoring and intensity underneath the backboards to make the game close.

After leading 14-13 at the end of the first quarter, Casa Grande looked as though it might blow things open early in the second quarter, when Nick Bokaie came out driving and firing, scoring the period’s first eight points to build a 22-13 Casa lead.

But as they were to do all night, the Trojans refused to leave the contest.

With Anthony Sequiera and Jeremy Mahrt ruling the paint, and Tyler Tuck supplying two key baskets, Petaluma reached halftime down just 33-29.

The intensity, already high, escalated to an ultra-high frequency in the third quarter, as Petaluma rallied to tie the game at 37-37 on a drive by Ben Maselli. A buzzer-beating jump shot from the top of the key by Nick Sherry gave Casa a 45-41 lead at the end of the period.

The fourth quarter was almost all Gauchos. Joey Rodriquez hit a 3-pointer, and followed with a steal and a drive to up the Gaucho advantage to 50-42, and the game was decided.

While the inside opened up for the Gauchos, who got six points in the period from Connor Waggoner, Petaluma’s patient offense got off few shots against a suddenly aroused Casa Grande defense.

Bokaie kept the Gauchos solvent in the first half, while Sherry had a big second half. Both finished with 16 points.

But the real difference makers for the Gauchos were Rodriguez and Waggoner. Rodriguez had his usual all-around game, making things happen with 14 points, six assists and four steals.

Waggoner was the catalyst early when Sherry picked up two quick fouls, and late, when both he and Sherry were in the same at the same time. He finished with eight points, five assists, 10 rebounds, two steals and strong defense.

“It was the best game of his career,” Forni said. “He gave us toughness.”

Petaluma’s contributions, as they have been all season, were almost roster deep. No Trojan scored in double digits, but nine scored. More than the points, all contributed to the team’s tenacious defense and strong board play and willingness to dive, scrap for every loose ball.

Tyler Tuck led the way for Petaluma with nine, followed by Sequiera with eight, Maselli and Rick Sims with seven apiece, ball handler Lucas Maroquin with six, Ben Borsian with five, Mahrt and Braeden Ross with four and Ezana Kemmer with two.

Dylan Parks hit two 3-point baskets in overtime to help the Petaluma JVs win a wild one over Casa Grande, 81-72.