Seniors lead spirited comeback, but Casa Grande boys lose at the end

Emotion carried the Casa Grande High school boys basketball team to within sight of the mountain top, but the Gauchos couldn’t quite reach the peak last week as they lost to Montgomery’s Vikings, 54-48, in the final game of the season in their home gym.

After celebrating their seniors in impressive and emotional pre-game ceremonies Wednesday night, the Gauchos promptly stumbled their way to a 10-point halftime deficit.

During the intermission, the Gaucho seniors huddled together.

“I don’t know what they said,” noted Casa coach Jake Lee. “It could have been that they talked about not getting to play in this special place any more.”

Whatever they discussed, the Gauchos charged with the fury of bulls provoked by red flags in the second half.

It took awhile, but Casa came within a blink of catching the reeling Vikings, closing to within a point on an inside hoop by JJ Anderson at 47-46, with two minutes left.

That was as close as the Gauchos could get.

Robbie Sheldon, who, along with Anderson, stoked the fire of the Casa comeback, moved Casa back to within two at 50-48, but an Anderson shot at a tie hit just off the front rim. Montgomery rebounded and Viking guard Alex Soria, who tormented the Gauchos all night, somehow snaked to the basket for an uncontested lay-in to give his side a four-point lead (52-48), and with 25 seconds left, the issue was decided.

Both teams were cautiously deliberate in the early going, content to patiently run their offenses. The problem was that neither could finish the work their deliberation had created.

Casa Grande had only one basket in the quarter, a quick inside hoop by Anderson, as the teams reached the first break tied, 6-6.

Casa continued to struggle in the second quarter, while Montgomery’s guards Soria and Lane Young found holes in the Casa lane defense and also popped in a trey each as the Vikings seemed to take control, reaching the mid-point with a 24-14 lead. Soria finished with 18 points and Young 14 as they carried the Montgomery offense.

After the Casa Grande seniors caucused at halftime, Anderson, Sheldon and some of their senior friends like Thomas Cramer and Tommy Buickerood grimly led the Gauchos back, getting very close, but not quite close enough.

It was the story of the Casa season.

Anderson finished with 18 points and Sheldon with 14 for the Gauchos.

Another tough loss

Casa Grande finished off its first season under the leadership of coach Jake Lee with another tough defeat, losing at Cardinal Newman, 58-53.

Although the Gauchos trailed most of the game, they remained close until the final quarter when they trailed by as much as eight before cutting the final margin to five.

Guard Robbie Sheldon and center JJ Anderson closed out their Casa Grande basketball careers the way they had played all season, as team leaders. Sheldon led the Gauchos with 17 points, with JJ Anderson adding 15. Another senior, Jordan Smith, added 10.

Cardinal Newman was helped by the return of last year’s All-Empire Player of the year, Connor Rubattino, who was back in the Cardinal lineup after spending most of the season recovering from a football injury. He led Newman with 17 points.

Casa Grande finished the season with an 8-18 record and a 4-10 North Bay League mark.