WINTER SPORTS SHORTS–
(Latest basketball shorts will be at the top of the section. Scroll down to check out past results. Tournament games do not count toward win/loss record. Visit the Sports Section for basketball features)

For the 2007 boys’ basketball SWSL standing and stats, click here on MaxPreps
SWSL boy’ basketball.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL, 2006-2007–
Their record is 3-24 overall and 0-8 in the South West Sierra League as of Feb. 16.

SEASON END

CARUTHERS DEFEAT EAGLES TO END THE SEASON, 61-48
FC attempted to finish the season with at least one win in league, but the Caruthers Blue Raiders ended those hopes on Feb. 16.

The Blue Raiders jumped out to an early 13-7 lead in the first quarter but the Eagles closed the gap by halftime. While Jasmin Khosa led Caruthers with 21 points and the home squad led, 23-21, at half, FC was in a South West Sierra League game.

FC tried to silence the Blue Raiders’ offense and cut the lead, as senior Joey Logan led the Eagle offense and matched Khosa’s 21 points. However, FC was outscored in the third, 14-13 and Caruthers ended the quarter with a 37-34 lead.

Senior JD Perry added 9 points while Kedrick Anderson had 6 points for the Eagles who could not sustain their match-ups into the final quarter.

“This game was a microcosm of our season,” coach Chris Schultz said. “We gave it our best; we worked hard, tried to keep it close but in the end didn’t quite have enough to get the victory.”

Caruthers spread the offense around and were too much down the stretch as 10 Blue Raiders got on the score sheet. And, combined with Austin Reid’s 13 points, Caruthers’ trong one-two punch was too much for the Eagles in the fourth. The Blue Raiders outscored the Eagles, 24-14, in the final frame to end FC’s season.

Coach Schultz reflects on season’s end

“I’m proud of our kids, from our seniors all the way to our two freshmen,” Schultz said. “Its not easy to go through a season where the victories are few and still continue to have the right attitude and effort. While the scoreboard will not reflect our season, I believe we have achieved a great deal this year.”

While the Eagles did not win a league game this year, coach Schultz was upbeat on the lessons learned during a difficult season.

“I will miss our seniors,” Schultz said. “I told them in the locker room that they will always be a part of Eagle Basketball and are always welcome at any practice, game, or event. They have set a good standard for our younger kids to follow by their character.”

And even as the season ended last night, preparations are already being made for next season.

“As we reflect upon the past season and celebrate the kids, we also look to the future,” Schultz said. “We have 24 of 27 players returning to our program next year and we have to improve. We have to get stronger, increase our basketball skills, and vow that we won’t stand for another season like this year. We’ve already made preparations for our spring training and skill development and will begin working on our 2007-08 schedule. I’m very confident we are moving in the right direction and good things are ahead for the Eagles.”

SWSL LEADERS CRUISE, CONVERT FC MISTAKES INTO 70-46 WIN
While the Eagles largely kept pace with the South West Sierra League leaders in the first half, Liberty took advantage of FC misques and mental errors just before half and early in the third to run their league record to 7-1, and a 70-46 win on Feb. 14.

With FC only down 15-11 at the end of the first quarter, the Eagles went 4/11 at the free throw line in the second and were outhustled in the last minute. A close game nearly turned into a rout before half. A late converted foul and a 3-point buzzer beater extended the Hawk halftime lead to 11 points, 29-18.

“Our pre-game talk was about developing an attack-mentality for four quarters,” coach Chris Schultz said. “We executed that game plan in the first half but missed chances to keep the game closer with our failure to convert free throws.”

With a chance to get a defensive stop on Liberty’s first possession of the second half and cut the lead under 10, the Eagles made mental errors which appeared to cost them the game. After a foul, Liberty converted two free throws, FC turned the ball over and allowed an offensive rebound which turned into another 3-pointer for Travis Enos which pushed the Hawk lead to 15. Enos finished the game with 5 points.

Cameron Crump led Liberty with 18 points while Chris Norman had 16 points as Liberty pushed its overall record to 21-7.

While the Eagles did put together a 6 point run in the third, they were still outscored 26-14. The teams traded baskets in the fourth but the outcome had already been decided.

Although the final score was lopsided, Schultz felt that the Eagles gave a solid effort.

“Nobody likes to lose, but we’re looking for some indication that our kids understand the need to play tough and not back down from our opponents,” said Schultz. “I saw that, especially in our younger kids which is encouraging for our program in the future.”

J.D. Perry led the Eagles with 17 points. Joey Logan scored 9 while Ronnie Giannetta added 7 points to round out FC’s top three.

FC LOSES LAST HOME GAME TO RIVERDALE, 57-27
The first quarter was filled with missed shot attempts by both teams and the low scoring affair left FC with a 10-9 lead.

Lead by Tony Machado’s 12 points, the Riverdale Cowboys cleaned up their game in the second quarter and scored 24 points to the Eagles 6. The final score at halftime was 33-16.

“They were simply too physical for us,” coach Chris Schultz said. “That has been the story all year long; teams are bigger, stronger and more aggressive than us.”

During the second half, the Cowboys continued to expand their lead and won going away, 57-27. Ben Roberts and Wyatt McKean each had 10 points to round out the top three Cowboy leaders.

“I’m sorry that our seniors had to endure such an evening,” Schultz said. “It should have been a night to celebrate three fine young men and instead it turned into a struggle for the whole team.”

Senior Joey Logan led the Eagles with 10 points and junior Ronnie Giannetta added seven points while junior Kedric Anderson had 4.

“Our goal this last week is enjoy our time together, give our very best effort,” Schultz said. “I will remind the boys of the things that will last in life, namely the relationships we have with each other.”

FC CONTINUES SEARCH FOR FIRST LEAGUE WIN
From the opening tip-off, the Eagles let Fowler take a early lead with a 13 to 7 first quarter lead.

FC was able to cut the lead by five points after holding the Redcats to 12 points and scoring 13 of the own. Unfortunately for the Eagles, they entered halftime down 25 to 20.

Fowler attacked the Eagles during the third quarter with a 13-0 run during the last two minutes of the quarter to defeat FC, 54-31, on Feb. 6.

With the Eagles trailing only 31-27 at half, Fowler’s relentless pressure caught up with the inexperienced Eagles; FC turned the ball over on seven of the last eight possessions of the third quarter.

“We knew that Fowler would keep coming and coming at us; we talked about being able to handle it for four quarters,” coach Chris Schultz said.

FC only scored 4 points in the fourth quarter and held the Redcats to 10 points. Despite the loss, Schultz appreciated the efforts of his team.

“I am proud of the way the boys executed tonight,” Schultz said. “We did some real positive things tonight; the ball just didn’t go in the hoop.”

Senior Joey Logan struggled to find his shooting touch, posting a season low four points coupled with six turnovers.

“It’s just wasn’t Joey night,” Schultz said. “He got good looks they just didn’t fall. He’s our leader and captain and we expect him to respond with a great game against Riverdale on Friday.”

Sophomore Taylor Brouwer and junior Kedric Anderson both grabbed five rebounds each to lead the Eagles. Taylor also lead the defense with two charges.

Senior JD Perry led the Eagles with 8 points and Andersen scored 7.

MENDOTA OVERWHELMS FC, 70-37, IN NON-CONFERENCE GAME
The Aztecs doubled up FC in each of the first three quarters to run away with the game, defeating the visitors, 70-37, on Feb. 2. Four Mendota players scored in double digits to improve their overall record to 17-7.

Joseph Alarcon led Mendota with 16 points and Joaquin Velasco added 15 as the Aztecs led 16-8 at the end of the first quarter and doubled up the Eagles by halftime, 43-21. FC had trouble stopping the tenacious Aztec pressure and poor Eagle shooting, especially in the third, created a wide margin of victory for the home squad.

“We needed to make shots early against their press because we knew that if we didn’t, they would continue to attack us,” coach Chris Schultz said. “Instead we missed easy shots and turned the ball over which marked the end for us.”

Mendota outclassed the Eagles in the third and outscored FC, 21-6, to put the game out of reach. Craig Torres scored 12 and Jose Reyes added 10 points to round out the top four Aztecs.

“Our effort and execution was disappointing tonight; we felt we were ready for them,” coach Schultz said. “As the head coach I have to take responsibility for the fact that we haven’t been able to play at a level that is competitive.”

In a scary moment, freshmen Landon Martens took an elbow in the mouth which split his gum early the first quarter. He was cleaned up and returned to the game and gave a solid effort according to his coach.

“Landon was a warrior,” Schultz said. “He insisted that he go back in the game and, when he did, he played hard and aggressively.”

Joey Logan’s, 13 points were not nearly enough and no other Eagle scored more than 6 points.

EAGLES STILL SEARCH FOR FIRST SWSL WIN
While the team is beginning to show glimpses it can play with teams in its league, the boys’ basketball team was not able to adjust with Caruthers in the second quarter and fell to the Blue Raiders, 73-55, on Jan. 30.

“The refs allowed the game to get very physical,” head coach Chris Schultz said. “We reacted too late to how the game was being called. We eventually battled but by then we were in a hole and could not scratch back into the game.”

Senior Joey Logan again led the Eagles in scoring with 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds.

“Joey was outstanding tonight,” coach Schultz said. “He again played his heart out and gave everything he could to help his team. Points, rebounds, help defense, controlling the offense. The coaches can’t ask for much more from the young man.”

While the Eagles were only down, 14-10, at the beginning of the second quarter, Caruthers dominated the second frame and pulled away to lead, 37-27, at halftime.

“”We show glimpses of a team that can play consistently,” Schultz said. “We’re getting there; it’s just been a slower process than many of us would like. But we will keep chipping away at.”

The third quarter faired no better for an Eagle team still searching for its first South West Sierra League win. The Blue Raiders outscored the Eagles 26-12 in the third and evened its SWSL record at 2-2.

J.D. Perry complimented Logan as he scored 17 points and the Eagles actually outscsored Caruthers 16-10 in the fourth but the game was already out of reach.

COWBOY LATE SURGE DOWNS EAGLES, 68-53
Riverdale’s Ben Roberts was on top of his game and Riverdale rode his 31 points to a 68-53 win over FC on Jan. 26. However, the game was in doubt until the last five minutes of the fourth as the Eagles played one of their best games of the season.

The first quarter saw the Eagles jump out to a quick 7-2 lead only to see
the Cowboys go on a 12-4 run to take the lead. A three-pointer by Ronnie Giannetta netted the score at 14 at period end.

The Cowboys were the first to make adjustments however and pulled out to a 32-23 half time lead, much to the delight of the home crowd. But the momentum switched in the third.

The second quarter saw FC reverted back to its offensive struggles as Riverdale’s zone defense forced the Eagles into 6 turnovers and 3-12 shooting. The Cowboys would capitalize with three offensive rebounds that they converted into second chance scores.

“We failed to attack the zone from the inside out and with ball reversals,” coach Chris Schultz said. “Instead we rushed shots and got careless with the ball.”

Down 32-23 at halftime the Eagles made ajustments and came out with determined to get back in the game. Lead by seniors JD Perry and Joey Logan, the pair attributed for 10 of the Eagle’s 16 points as FC cut the lead to 45-39 at the end of the third quarter.

For the first time in many games, FC found itself in a competitive game in the fourth quarter. The Eagles would continue to battle and pulled with one point at 47-46 when Perry made a free throw. Then at the 4:47 mark, Cowboys wing Ben Roberts would grab an offensive rebound and score with a putback, which pushed the lead to 3 and the Eagles would get no closer. Roberts scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, finishing with 31 points.

“We had no answer for Roberts,” coach Schultz said. “With Joey in foul trouble (4), we had to switch defenders and Roberts made us pay with some outstanding plays.”

Schultz credited Logan and Perry for effort but also mentioned the play of sophomore Taylor Brouwer, who contributed 4 points and 6 rebounds in his most extensive minutes of the year.

Perry scored an Eagle-high 19 points while Logan finished with 12 points and Giannetta added 11. While Wyatt McKean scored 11 and Aaron Dutra added 10 for the Cowboys, their offense revolved around Roberts who was the difference in the game.

FOWLER DOMINATES FC, 84-53
Senior Joey Logan hit a three pointer on the Eagles first possession to stake FC to a 3-0 advantage. But that would be FC’s only lead in the game as they failed to score on their next 12 possessions; Fowler raced to a 21-3 first quarter lead and a 84-53 rout of the Eagles on Jan. 23.

?We emphasized attacking the basket and not settling for 3?s,? head coach Chris Schultz said. ?We got good looks; they simply did not fall for us.?

Angel Vargas led the Redcats with 18 points while Brandyn Castillo had 15. Christian Martinez and Joel Jimenez each had 11 and Matt Gorella had 10 as Fowler’s attack was well-designed as five starters each were in double figures.

The Eagles missed 7-point blank shots in the first quarter, putting them in a hole they could not recover.

A nice 9-2 run allowed the Eagles to pull within 11 at 23-12 in the second half, but the Redcats responded at the end of the quarter with 9 straight points lead at halftime, 42-22.

Logan was outstanding for the Eagles, scoring 16 of FC?s 22 first half points. Logan would finish with 26 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals.

?Joey was a warrior for us again,? Schultz added. ?He kept playing hard, always trying to make things happen. It takes a young man of great character to give that much effort when the score is out of hand.?

Fowler outgunned the Eagles in the third quarter, 27-16, and the two teams each scored 15 in the final frame. Ronnie Giannetta scored 9 points while Kedric Anderson added 7 to round out FC’s top three scorers.

LIBERTY-MADERA SPOILS LEAGUE HOME OPENER, 70-38
With talk of revenge on the Hawk sidelines before the game, Liberty-Madera came out with a run and gun offense and defeated the Eagles, 70-38, in FC’s first South West Sierra League game on Jan. 19.

Liberty expoded with 19 first quarter points while holding FC to only 7 as the Eagles could not stop a determined Hawk side. Chris Norman led Madera with a game-high 15 points. FC defeated Madera twice last season but the Hawks ruled the roost in the first of two matches this year.

While the Eagles could not get on track in the first, they settled down in the second and tied Madera with 13 second quarter points and were down 32-20 at half. But the second half was all Madera.

“We were physically overmatched,” assistant coach C.J. Haydock said after the game. “Liberty just came after us and attacked us all night. They played a very physical brand of basketball, and really pressured us into making a lot of mistakes. We just have to become more aggressive by nature.”

The Hawks physical, attacking nature on defense forced The Eagles to struggle offensively, as they missed numerous close in jump shots and layups. On the other end of the floor, the Hawks executed efficiently, with few turnovers. Mitch Kochergen and Will Lee each had 12 points while Cameron Crump had 11 in a balanced Hawk attack. Madera doubled up FC in the third, 16-8, and won going away in the fourth.

“We really have to commend Joey tonight,” coach Haydock continued. “He left everything he had out on the floor. Once we can get all 11 guys to play the way Joey did in terms of effort and passion tonight, we will find ourselves in a position to win basketball games.”

Joey Logan and J.D. Perry each had 13 points to led the Eagles.

FC DEFEATS TRANQUILLITY, 66-44
FC earned its first victory in eight games by defeating the Tranquillity Tigers by a score of 66-44. The Eagles raced to a 14-2 lead with a suffocating defense that forced 8 Tiger turnovers in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Eagles would force 15 turnovers in the first half and went into the locker room with a 26-10 lead.

?We emphasized active hands and feet in our Matchup zone,? head coach Chris Schultz said. ?It forced Tranquillity into mistakes and we capitalized on them on offense.?

FC?s aggressive defense translated into an attacking mentality on the offensive end. The Eagles went to the free throw line 15 times during the half, converting them into 8 points.

The third quarter saw the Eagles continue to be aggressive on both ends of the floor. A 16-9 run saw FC push their lead to 23 points, the largest of the night. Everybody got into the scoring column, with Senior Joey Logan leading the way with 21 points on 3 of 6 shooting from the three-point line.

?Its always fun to have everyone contribute to the win,? coach Schultz said. ?By playing hard and smart in the first half, we gave our bench players an opportunity to play. It was one of our best team efforts of the year.?

Ronnie Gianetta added 12 points with senior JD Perry making 11 of his own.

The Eagles now start league play on Friday when they host the 12-6 Liberty Hawks at home. JV starts at 4:30 and the varsity will begin at 7:30 p.m.

DOS PALOS DOMINATES EAGLES, 63-39

Dos Palos dominated the boards in a 63-39 victory over FC; the Eagles seventh straight defeat on Jan. 12. Dos Palos’ aggressive play provided 30 offensive rebounds, which resulted in 28 points.

?That was the key to the game,? coach Chris Schultz said. ?They simply got too many opportunities to put the ball in the hoop.?

FC played a solid first quarter as the Eagles were able to attack the Bronco?s defense. Senior Joey Logan found lanes to the basket and junior Ronnie Giannetta made two 3-pointers. Although Dos Palos led 17-14 at the end of the first quarter, the Eagles remained within striking distance.

The second quarter saw the Eagles turn the ball over six times against Dos Palos? extended zone. With senior post JD Perry sitting on the bench with foul trouble, the Broncos exploited the key with more offensive rebounds and ended the first half with a 31-22 lead.

The third quarter proved to be the end for the Eagles as they continued to struggle against the zone, with 9 turn-overs and only 2 successful field goals out of 9 attempts. Meanwhile, the Broncos continued to attack the basket and finished with 20 points for the quarter.

?We never were able to attack the middle of their zone,? Schultz said. ?The few times we got post touches we were able to get good looks and free throw attempts. But it wasn?t enough.?

Logan led the Eagles with 16 points and Giannetta added 13 points. Schultz credited Josh Palmer, ’08, and Taylor Brouwer, ’09, for their effort and energy in the fourth quarter.

AVENAL DEFEATS FC IN OVERTIME, 62-58

Despite valiant efforts from senior Joey Logan and junior Ronnie Giannetta, the Eagles suffered from poor free throw shooting and were out-executed down the stretch, and lost to Avenal, 62-58, on Jan. 10.

After jumping out to an early lead, the Eagles lost Kedric Anderson to a leg injury in the first quarter and were forced to continue without Anderson, who leads the team in minutes played.

“Losing Kedric really hurt us,” assistant coach C.J. Haydock said. “Without Kedric, we are somewhat limited defensively; we definitely felt it after he went down.”

FC led the Buccaneers, 19-15, after the first quarter behind the strength of Ronnie Giannetta’s 10 first quarter points. Giannetta finished with 20.

“We saw from Ronnie a sense of aggression for the first time,” coach Haydock said. “Ronnie attacked the basket and battled defensively, and that is a key component to why we stayed competitive.”

At halftime, Avenal had trimmed the Eagles lead to one, 29-28. FC outscored the Buccaneers in the third quarter and, with 4 minutes left in the game, maintained a 51-44 lead.

The Eagles came up short in the last 4 minutes of regulation and the entire overtime. This was most magnified in struggles at the free throw line, as FC made only 6 of 16 during that stretch. For the entire game, the Eagles shot 16 of 27 from the line.

Logan, who had 12 points and a career-high 10 assists, attempted a jumper as time ran out in regulation and the score tied at 54. The shot banked off the backboard before glancing off the rim and out.

“We really competed tonight, and we put ourselves in a position to win,” Coach Haydock continued. “We just came up a little bit short in terms of execution. We got the looks but the shots did not fall.”

Avenal was led by Jose Arellano’s 17 points; his two free throws with 6 seconds left in overtime sealed the win for the Buccaneers.

FC received a career-high nine points from junior Andrew Biehler, who also contributed 5 rebounds. Senior JD Perry had 11 points coupled with 7 rebounds. Anderson chipped in 4 points before leaving the game with an unspecified leg injury.

GUARD’S RETURN NOT ENOUGH FOR STRUGGLING EAGLES
After playing without star guard, senior Joey Logan, for nearly a month, the Eagles played Firebaugh close in the first half but could not sustain their energy as the visitors defeated FC, 72-47, on Jan. 5.

Logan, who has not played since spraining his ankle on Dec. 8 in San Diego, scored 13 points in his return to the line-up. Firebaugh led 10-9 after the first quarter and 30-26 at halftime but FC could not corral Alex Gutierrez who had 22 points by game’s end.

The game was decided in the third quarter when FC was outscored 23-13 and lost the first half momentum. Firebaugh’s Mario Rodriguez had 15 points to give the visiting Eagles a one-two punch up front. The fourth quarter was all Firebaugh as they added 19 points while FC managed only 8.

Junior Ronnie Giannetta added 11 points for FC.

CENTRAL VALLEY CHRISTIAN INVITATIONAL, Dec. 18-23

COALINGA SENDS FC HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, BEAT EAGLES, 51-41, on Dec. 22

The Eagles jumped out to a 12-5 first quarter lead but could not sustain their aggressive play and fell to the Horned Frogs, 51-41, on Dec. 22. FC did not win a game at the CVC Invitational.

“We played a 1-3-1 defense and we played well through the first half,” coach Chris Schultz said. “Coalinga made adjustments at half and played zone against us. We could have won this game as we were in control through much of the first half.”

FC still led 18-17 at half time but the third quarter was the turning point. Coalinga outscored the Eagles 22-12 to take over the game. FC played stronger in the fourth but were still outscored, 12-11.

B.J. Warren and Kellen Earles each had 16 points to led the Horned Toads.

“I was disappointed in the loss. We’ve taken our lumps since Joey (Logan) has been out. He is our heart and soul; he is the team captain and our leader. We look forward to getting him back in January.”

J.D. Perry led the Eagles with 13 points while Ronnie Giannetta had 7 while Andrew Biehler added 7.

“I thought Andrew did a nice job out there,” coach Schultz said. “He attacked the glass, pulled down a bunch of rebounds and was a ball of energy out there. We can build on that kind of effort.”

The Eagles will take the next week of December off and begin practice Dec. 29 in preparation for their home date with Firebaugh on Jan. 5.

FOWLER BEATS FC, 77-32, on Dec. 21
After turning the ball over more than points scored, FC was outmanned by Fowler and lost, 77-32, in the third game of the CVC tournament on Dec. 21. No Eagle scored in double digits as the Redcats dominated from the opening tip-off.

“We turned the ball over 12 times in the first half,” coach Chris Schultz said. “They were aggressive and attacked us from the beginning and we did not react well.”

FC was down 17-2 after the first quarter and 41-16 at halftime. The Redcats used a 2-2-1 trap zone and the Eagles turned the ball over to the pressure.

“Right now we lack the necessary ball handling skills to attack pressure,” coach Schultz said, “but I was impressed with the play of freshman Spenser Lee. He came off the bench and did not back down. He’s the smallest guy on the team but he tried to make things happen whenever he was on the court. Even though he only scored 2 points, he attacked the basket and that is the kind of effort we can build a ball team around.”

The Eagles did settle down in the third quarter but were still outscored, 20-9. FC’s defense was largely ineffective against Fowler’s Clay Cederquist (24 points) and Angel Vargas (23 points).

“We have been challenging Kedrick Anderson to play stronger and he did in the second half,” coach Schultz said. He was more agressive and attacked and boxed out. Kedrick had 7 rebounds and showed he can play ball. He was our best defender on the floor.”

Fowler scored 16 in the final frame while FC managed 7 points to close out any hope of a comeback attempt. J.D. Perry led the Eagles with 8 points.

FC will next play Coalinga on Dec. 22 at 11 A.M.

SELMA DEFEATS FC, 75-42 on Dec. 20
Despite losing to the Bears by over 30 points, the basketball team made the best of the trip back to Fresno by stopping at Del Taco and devouring south of the border snacks until they couldn’t eat any more.

“We didn’t play with Selma at all today,” coach Chris Schultz said. “We were never in the game. So to help put the game behind us, we stopped of at Del Taco and watched C.J. (Haydock, assistant coach), pound 7 tacos. We couldn’t just drive home and get depressed. Laughter is food for the soul and we all nearly cried we laughed so much tonight. The tacos were great and time spent with the guys is just as important off the court as on.”

The Bears led 24-14 by the end of the first quarter and the Eagles were unable to keep pace. With Joey Logan still out, FC did not have many offensive options and Selma stretched its lead to 40-22 by halftime.

“Their (Selma’s) pressure swallowed us up,” coach Schultz said. “They overwhelmed us and we could not get into an offensive flow. The Bears were able to avoid our man-to-man pressure.”

J.D. Perry and Ronnie Giannetta each had 15 points to lead the Eagles and Perry added 7 assists and 5 rebounds.

FC fared no better in the third quarter as Selma went on a 22-7 run and led 62-29 to blow the game wide open. While the Eagles were able to slow the Bears’ offense in the fourth, the game was already decided. Final score was Selma 75, FC 42.

CVC DEFEATS FC in VISALIA, 67-44, on Dec. 18
The host Cavaliers jumped out to an 18-10 first quarter lead in the first game of the CVC Invitational and went on to defeat FC, 67-44, on Dec. 18. CVC took advantage of a injury depeated Eagles team and ran out to a 39-24 halftime lead and never looked back.

Despite J.D. Perry’s game high 25 points, the Eagles supporting cast were unable to keep up with CVC’s spreadout offense. The Cavaliers’ Trevor Bangma scored 24 points and CVC had 8 other players on the score sheet.

“J.D. was a stud tonight,” coach Chris Schultz. “Without him we wouldn’t have been in this game at all. He gave a fantastic effort. He was fun to watch. He grabbed 7 rebounds and had 7 assists. What can I say, he was the star for us with Joey (Logan) injured.”

FC ROUTS ORANGE COVE, 70-46, on Dec. 12
Despite losing two starters to injuries last week, and coming off a disappointing San Diego tournament, the Eagles came out firing in their first home game of the season, defeating the Titans from Orange Cove, 70-46.

With leading scorer and point guard, Joey Logan, on the bench with a high ankle sprain, junior Ronnie Giannetta took the lead and scored a career high 31 points. Giannetta made 5 shots from beyond the three-point line and his point total also included an array of drives to the basket.

The Eagles jumped out to an 18-4 first quarter lead and did not look back.

?We needed to have a big game from Ronnie and he stepped up for us,? head coach Chris Schultz said. ?With Joey out, Ronnie has to play a more significant role for us and he did.?

The Eagles were also without freshmen guard Landon Martens, who dislocated his finger in the Dec. 8 game against Calvin Christian. Despite being shorthanded, FC came out in their traditional 2-3 zone, but unveiled a 1-3-1 trapping zone which created problems for the Titans.

While FC led 41-16 at half, the Titans tightened their game and ran with the Eagles in the second half and actually outscored FC, 17-16, in the third quarter. However, the Eagles did not fold and won going away.

?We gave great effort in the first two quarters,? commented Schultz. ?Paris Smith and David Fujihara did an excellent job being active with their hands and feet. It gave us an opportunity to score in transition because of their turnovers.?

Senior J.D. Perry added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Six other players from FC were in the scoring column, with Fujihara adding 7 points, including a three pointer.

While the doctors gave good news to the Eagles’ coaches on Monday saying Logan should only be out 2-3 weeks, FC will play without the injured players when they travel to Visalia to play in the CVC Tournament, Dec. 18-23.

LA JOLLA COUNTRY DAY (SAN DIEGO) SMALL SCHOOLS TOURNAMENT, DEC. 6-9–
SAN PASQUAL DOMINATES AFTER EAGLE GUARD INJURED on Dec. 8
In the second minute of the game, senior Eagle guard, Joey Logan, left the game after an upper ankle sprain. The Eagles were unable to adjust and lost, 49-35, to San Pasqual Academy on Dec. 9 to close out the La Jolla Country Day Small School Tournament for the Eagles.

Logan quickly scored 4 points to open the first but turned his ankle and is expected to be out at least two weeks. The Dragons led 15-10 after the first quarter and led 33-19 at halftime and never looked back.

“After we lost Joey’s leadership,” assistant coach C.J. Haydock said, “we were unable to adjust. We did not have someone prepared to take his role and who can dictate tempo like Joey does.”

According to head coach Chris Schultz and Haydock, Logan not only leads on the court but in the classroom and on during practice.

Ron Giannetta had 6 points to lead the Eagles in scoring.

FC WINS FIRST GAME, DEFEATS GOMPERS OF INNER CITY, SD, 38-30, on Dec. 8
After a forgetable performance against Calvin still in their minds, the FC boys pulled a Jeckle and Hyde and put in a memorable defensive performance against Gompers of inner city San Diego and beat the Wildcats, 38-30, on Dec. 8.

FC was led by junior Kedric Anderson who took charge and pulled down 9 defensive rebounds and, according to the coaches, was the difference in the game.

“He (Anderson) played like a man possessed,” assistant coach C.J. Haydock said. “He fired everybody up and energized the team with his energy.”

The Gompers game was the second of the day for both teams but the Eagles’ sustained pressure was the difference. While Gompers led 8-7 after the first quarter, FC’s defensive pressure paid off and the Eagles led, 17-13, at halftime.

“(Senior) Paris Smith played outstanding defense,” Haydock said. “He tipped 13 balls and forced the Wildcats to turn the ball over. Anderson and Smith led this team tonight and limited the Wildcats’ chances and gave us the chance to win.”

Senior Joey Logan took over in the second half and scored 10 of his 17 points to led the Eagles in scoring. He also took 4 of his 6 charges in the second half which changed the momentum of the game each time.

The other Eagle points came from the hand of J.D. Perry who added 13 to round out FC scoring.

“We executed tonight and played with energy and commitment,” Haydock said. “We were desperate to win and it showed even though we were tired.”

CALVIN CHRISTIAN DOMINATES FC, 57-25, on Dec. 8
The Crusaders of the Coastal North League dominated the game from the opening tipoff as Calvin Christian cruised to a 57-25 win over FC on Dec. 8.

Calvin led 15-5 after the first quarter and 33-13 at half time as its zone defense and attack-style offense seemed to intimidate the Eagles.

“We came out flat and were never able to overcome their zone defense,” coach Chris Schultz said. “They are tall and we were intimidated. We did not respond well and did not attack them. While we played better in the second half, this was a game to forget.”

SANTE FE CHRISTIAN BEAT FC, 61-54, in SAN DIEGO on Dec. 7
Despite J.D. Perry and Joey Logan each scoring 20 points, FC could not keep pace with a determined Sante Fe squad in the fourth as the Eagles were defeated by their same namesake, 61-54, on Dec. 7.

At one point in the first quarter, FC led by 12 points but Sante Fe closed the gap to a 19-11 FC lead. But Perry and Logan led the team both on offense and defense and FC still led 32-25 at half time against the defending South Section champions.

“We responded very well after a poor outing yesterday,” coach Chris Schultz said. “We competed well tonight and had a lot of energy. What a difference one day made.”

However, FC could not maintain their lead and commited 15 turnovers in the third as Sante Fe battled back to tie the game at 45 by the end of the third quarter.

“By the fourth we were not executing like we did in the first half and simply ran out of gas,” coach Schultz said. “Plus J.D. fouled out and we let the game slip away.”

Sante Fe Christian played in the State Finals for Division 5 last year.

WINDWARD DEFEATS FC, 73-24, in SAN DIEGO on Dec. 6
Windward of Los Angeles defeated FC, 73-24, to open the La Jolla Country Day Small Schools Tournament on Dec. 6. While the first quarter was relatively close, Windward dominated all parts of the game and led 41-11 by half time.

“We were embarrassed today and did not have a competitive spirit,” coach Chris Schultz said after the game. We did not play good basketball today and will regroup tomorrow.”

While FC was done 14-6 by the end of the first quarter, they commited over 30 turnovers by the end of the third and the game was out of reach.

Joey Logan and J.D. Perry combined for 18 of the Eagles’ points.

KERMAN KIWANIS TOURNAMENT on Dec. 2
MCLANE DEFEATS FC, 51-37, in 4th ROUND OF KERMAN KIWANIS TOURNAMENT on Dec. 2
FC lost their last game of the tournament to McLane, 37-51, on Dec. 2. The Eagles scored only 5 points in the first quarter, while McLane raced to a 20-5 lead. FC held the Highlanders to 12 in the second quarter, but trailed, 13-27, at half.

However the Eagles ran with the Highlanders in the second half and outscored them, 14-12, in the third.

“In the second half we played better basketball,” coach Chris Schultz said, “but that time it was too late, we were already in a hole.”

In the fourth, the Highlanders came back to score 12 points compared to FC’s 10, and ended the game 51-37.

“We definitely played better defensively on Saturday,” Schultz said. “They only scored 30 out of 50 points on our defense, the rest was from turnovers which they turned into easy lay-ups. We did a better job ofprotecting the basket, that was a big improvement.”

Senior Joey Logan led the Eagles with 17 points, while JD Perry scored 11.

West-Bakersfield defeated Coalinga, 48-25, in the championship round to win the tournament.

KERMAN DEFEATS FC, 63-46, in 3rd ROUND OF KERMAN KIWANIS TOURNAMENT on Nov. 30
Despite a turn-around in the fourth quarter, the Eagles lost their third game of the tournament to Kerman, 46-63, on Dec. 1.

Kerman outscored FC, 20-8, in the first quarter and increased their lead throughout the game. Kerman entered the locker room with the lead, 32-16.

Although FC scored 10 points in the third quarter, Kerman took advantage of rebounds and loose balls and led, 59-26.

The Eagles gained momentum in the fourth to score 20 points, while holding the Lions to 4.

“In every game, we’ve come out sluggish,” coach Chris Schultz said. “We have not had one quarter in which we’ve scored double-digits. We’re really struggling offensively, so we can’t afford to put ourselves in a hole. Our inexperience shows. Hopefully as we play more games and practice, we gain more experience.”

Senior JD Perry led FC with 16 points, while senior Joey Logan scored 15.

SELMA DEFEATS FC, 57-43, in 2nd ROUND OF KERMAN KIWANIS TOURNAMENT on Nov. 30
The boys were unable to score on their first eight posessions after tip-off, which contributed to the Eagles’ second loss of the tournament on Nov. 30.

At the end of the first quarter, the Bears led, 15-8. FC gained momentum to ourscore Selma in the second, yet entered the locker room down 25-29, at the half.

With 6 minutes remaining in the third, the Bears hit 6 points in a row. Although FC broke the streak with a basket, the Bears came back with 9 straight points. Selma’s top scorer, Jared Reed, gave the Bears the edge in the fourth scoring 18 compared to FC’s 11. Selma clinched the victory 57-43.

“The game showed our inability to handle the ball,” coach Chris Schultz said. “We had 20 turnovers in the entire game. In the second half, Selma’s lead went from 2 points to 12. So, for the rest of the game we had to play catch-up, and we didn’t have the firepower to. I thought Paris Smith ( ’07) had a great game. He came in and had energy with his defense.”

Senior Joey Logan led the Eagles with 24 points, senior JD Perry scored 11.

COALINGA DEFEATS FC, 48-42, IN FIRST ROUND OF KERMAN KIWANIS TOURNAMENT on Nov. 29
While the boys kept the game close in the first three quarters, Coalinga outscored the Eagles by 4 in the fourth, to pull out a 48-42 victory in the Kerman Kiwanis Tournament on Nov. 29.

The first quarter ended with the Eagles down 6-8, and could not get any closer by the end of the first half. The Horned Toads went into the locker room with a 22-20 lead.

Both teams scored 11 points in the third quarter, with Coalinga hanging on to 2 point lead late into the fourth. Senior Brett Arce led the Horned Toads with 14 points, while junior Kellen Earls added 13, for the winners.

“In basketball games are a lot of little thing which determine whether you win a game or lose,” coach Chris Schultz said. “From missing a lay-up, not grabbing a loose ball or being in the wrong position on the court. We have to learn from these experiences.”

Junior Ronnie Giannetta led FC with 20 points and senior Joey Logan scored 15.