They drop first two games Saturday, rally with pair of wins Sunday
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SAN LEANDRO >> The Lake County Eagles under-12 traveling boys basketball team lost its first two games of the season before bouncing back with a pair of wins over the weekend at the third annual Winter Ballerland Tournament, part of the YBC circuit, in San Leandro.
Both of the Eagles’ losses came Saturday as they fell 54-29 to JustHoopRise of San Leandro and 36-21 to Vision 12-under out of Oakland. They bounced back Sunday by beating NorCal Elite 12-under of Walnut Crek 20-19 and Team Limited 12-under Select of Fremont 40-16.
In their first game against JustHoopRise, the Eagles were led by Isaiah Reyes’ 10 points and nine rebounds while William Pisaro added 10 points and five rebounds.
“The JustHopeRise team came out right away and pressed us and were way more aggressive than us the whole game,” Eagles head coach Mason Smith said. “We couldn’t recover after the slow start.”
Reyes came back with 10 points, nine rebounds and three steals in the Eagles’ second game, that against Vision 12. Jace Johnson added four points and Asten Wienke had three.
“A game we should have won,” Smith said. “We were way bigger than them and more athletic, too. We started off the game with a 10-2 run then the wheels fell off. Vision really turned up the aggressiveness and hit us with a press. The pressure was too much for the boys.”
The Eagles opened Sunday with a 20-19 win over NorCal Elite 12-under.
“We were a whole different ballclub Sunday after suffering our first two losses of the season,” Smith said.
Reyes again scored 10 points to go along with six rebounds and six steals. Pisaro added six points, six steals and three assists, and Wienke had four points.
“A game that was wire to wire the entire 40 minutes,” Smith said. “An intense battle where our boys showed a lot of grit and toughness.”
Pisaro’s assist, a long pass to Greyson Wienke, led to a Wienke layup, what proved to be the game-winning basket, as the Eagles erased a 19-18 deficit.
The Eagles closed out the tournament with their 40-16 victory over Team Unlimited 12-under Select Reyes again led the way, this time scoring 18 points with seven rebounds and three steals, while Johnson added seven points and three rebounds.
“A game where it wasn’t close from the start,” Smith said. “Isaiah Reyes put the game on his shoulders and put it out of reach relatively quick. We came out the aggressor and pressed them.”
Pisaro finished with four points, eight rebounds and seven assists while Charlie Mulanda had four points and five rebounds.
Defensive standouts were Darius Dubose, Jaiden Griffith and Waylon Murphy, according to Smith.
“I am proud of this team bouncing back the way they did Sunday after suffering some big losses on Saturday,” Smith said. “They never quit, one of the many things I love about this group.”
