Boys Basketball: Matadors Fall Short as Las Lomas Steals Road Victory

Las Lomas 64, Miramonte 59

The Star: Forward Anthony Piganelli exploded for 25 points down low, while Kiran Shastri hurt the Knights from all over the floor with 15 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, a block and a three-pointer.

The Turning Point: With 2:30 left in the game, Las Lomas guard Treaven Duffy snatched a critical steal at midcourt but missed the fast-break layup.  Unfortunately for the Mats, Duffy’s teammate Kenny Grimble was right there to tip the ball in, making it a two-possession game at a point where the teams had been trading baskets.

 The Quote: "For 75 percent of the game, we played good Miramonte High basketball, but our margin for error was too small.” – Miramonte coach Dave Brown.

What's next? The Matadors await Campolindo Friday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m.

Bottom Line: Las Lomas’ well-timed rebounds and clutch free throws put the game just of reach for the Matadors.

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On a night where conference foes and continued to trade blows inside the paint, it was the Knights who escaped with the 64-59 road victory Tuesday night.

The first half was marked by a heavy dose of Las Lomas ball pressure. The Knights picked up ball handlers full court, and mixed in various presses. Miramonte was clearly rattled at first, committing five turnovers in the first quarter.

On the other end of the floor, Miramonte looked to trap Las Lomas early, but the Knights managed to pass through it and score easily, forcing the Matadors to back off the rest of the way.

Senior guard Treaven Duffy spent much of the first quarter asserting himself, slashing into the lane at will. After missing his first four shots, he came on midway through the period, sinking five consecutive baskets.

The Knights took hold of the second quarter early, behind a pair of quick baskets off Miramonte turnovers.

Then the Matadors' Kiran Shastri took over.  In a two-minute period he managed to convert a put-back, hand out a timely assists, swipe a steal, and hit a three-pointer, to pull within six points, after having been down 12

Shastri would finish with 15 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, a block and a three-pointer.

“Kiran does everything,and he’s very poised,” gushed coach Dave Brown.  “He’s just a sophomore.  He’s going to be a very special player for us.”

Not to be outdone, Duffy re-appeared seconds before the intermission, as he gashed into the paint and dropped in a runner to push his side’s lead to five just before the buzzer.

Duffy showed himself to be able to penetrate the lane and score at will throughout the second half, notching 30 points for the game.

If the Knights’ star lefty spent the second half slashing into the inside, Miramonte forwards Anthony Piganelli and Ross Anderson seemed to set up shop there.

Piganelli powered his way to 25 points, while each of Anderson’s 12 points seemed bigger than the last.  By the start of the fourth quarter, their efforts had pulled the Mats within three points. 

"They played smash-mouth basketball,” said Las Lomas coach Jeff Loving of Miramonte’s physical style of play.  “We haven’t played a team that physical all season."

Even after surrendering a critical put-back that put them down by five with just over two minutes remaining, a Las Lomas five-second inbound violation with gave Miramonte the ball down by just three with 17 seconds remaining in the game.

Piganelli managed a baby hook from the low post, but it missed its mark and Duffy fittingly pulled in the rebound and proceeded to knock down two free throws to seal the game.

“We got the look we wanted, but it just didn’t go down for us,” said Brown.

Despite the disappointing loss, the Mats’ head coach doesn’t want his guys to dwell on it. 

“We will see Las Lomas again,” he said.  “But first we have to see Campo this Friday, and our kids will be ready.”

Notes: All but one of Piganelli’s eight rebounds were offensive.  He also added three steals and three assists.  Anderson matched Las Lomas’ Adam Wood’s game-high three blocks, to go with his six rebounds.

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Las Lomas 64, Miramonte 59

Las Lomas    16      15      15      18-- 64

Miramonte     8       19      16      16-- 59

INDIVIDUALS

Las Lomas (14-2, 2-0) (fg ftm-fta tp) — Grimble 4 0-0 8, Duffy 12 6-6 30, Stafford 2 6-8 11, Fidelibus 2 5-7 9. Totals 22 17-21 64.

Miramonte (7-8, 2-1)– Piganelli 10 5-6 25, Lim 1 0-0 2, Pietrykowski1 1 1-2 3 Volpe 1 3-3 5, Anderson 6 0-1 12, Shastri 7 0-1 15, Goodreaux 1 0-1 2. Totals 26 6-11 59.

3-point goals: L – Stafford.  M – Shastri. Fouled out: none.

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