CHABOT MEN DROP CLIFFHANGER TO OHLONE
CHABOT 70 OHLONE 72
January 9, 2025
The men's basketball game between host Chabot College and Ohlone on Wednesday night had 20 lead changes.
So it wasn't surprising that the last team that scored won the game. A basket by Ohlone's Gabriel Lopez with 53 seconds remaining held up, as Ohlone defeated Chabot 72-70 in the teams' Coast-North Conference openers.
"We gave up too many offensive rebounds, we fouled too much, and we didn't really execute offensively," said Chabot interim head coach Marcel Miffin. "We've been really good at the free-throw line all year. … There was no way I would have thought we were going to miss that many free throws."
Chabot missed 12 of its 37 free throw attempts in this battle between two of the top 20-ranked teams in the state. The Gladiators (11-4 overall) are ranked 13th in the state in the most recent CCCMBCA poll, while Ohlone (13-2) is 19th.
The Gladiators trailed 68-60 with 3 minutes, 30 seconds to play before Gladiators freshman guard Amani Johnson exploded for eight straight points. His putback with 1:47 remaining tied the score at 68. Johnson scored a game-high 22 points, including a 10 for 13 performance from the free-throw line.
"We played hard," Miffin said. "We gave it everything we had."
After Lopez's go-ahead basket with 53 seconds to go, Chabot had two excellent chances to score in the next 29 seconds, but failed to convert. Then the Gladiators had a few more chances in the final 12 seconds on a drive and two more close shots, but were thwarted.
Oz Savage and Zion Yeargin backed up Johnson in scoring with 10 points apiece. Christian Wilson grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with his nine points for Chabot. Johnson added nine rebounds and teammate Marcellus Edwards had eight rebounds and eight points.
A 3-pointer by Mathias Moore gave Chabot a 40-39 lead at halftime. It was the Gladiators' only 3-pointer of the game. Chabot had a five-point lead twice in the first half, including when a basket by Johnson gave the Gladiators a 27-22 advantage with 7:49 left in the half. But Chabot couldn't open the lead any wider, and Ohlone eventually held a 48-43 advantage with 15:17 remaining in the game. Chabot answered with a 7-0 run in the next 2:21, and the game remained close until an 8-0 Ohlone run gave it a 68-60 lead with 3:30 to go. A basket by Edwards tied the game at 70 with 1:03 remaining.
Ohlone had four players finish with double-figure scoring, led by Lopez with 18, including 10 in the second half.
Chabot's next two games are on the road against De Anza (Friday) and Las Positas (Jan. 15). The Gladiators return home to face Skyline on Jan. 17. All three games are scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Las Positas and Skyline are both ranked in the top 20 in the state currently (third and 16th respectively).
"We gave up too many offensive rebounds, we fouled too much, and we didn't really execute offensively," said Chabot interim head coach Marcel Miffin. "We've been really good at the free-throw line all year. … There was no way I would have thought we were going to miss that many free throws."
Chabot missed 12 of its 37 free throw attempts in this battle between two of the top 20-ranked teams in the state. The Gladiators (11-4 overall) are ranked 13th in the state in the most recent CCCMBCA poll, while Ohlone (13-2) is 19th.
The Gladiators trailed 68-60 with 3 minutes, 30 seconds to play before Gladiators freshman guard Amani Johnson exploded for eight straight points. His putback with 1:47 remaining tied the score at 68. Johnson scored a game-high 22 points, including a 10 for 13 performance from the free-throw line.
"We played hard," Miffin said. "We gave it everything we had."
After Lopez's go-ahead basket with 53 seconds to go, Chabot had two excellent chances to score in the next 29 seconds, but failed to convert. Then the Gladiators had a few more chances in the final 12 seconds on a drive and two more close shots, but were thwarted.
Oz Savage and Zion Yeargin backed up Johnson in scoring with 10 points apiece. Christian Wilson grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with his nine points for Chabot. Johnson added nine rebounds and teammate Marcellus Edwards had eight rebounds and eight points.
A 3-pointer by Mathias Moore gave Chabot a 40-39 lead at halftime. It was the Gladiators' only 3-pointer of the game. Chabot had a five-point lead twice in the first half, including when a basket by Johnson gave the Gladiators a 27-22 advantage with 7:49 left in the half. But Chabot couldn't open the lead any wider, and Ohlone eventually held a 48-43 advantage with 15:17 remaining in the game. Chabot answered with a 7-0 run in the next 2:21, and the game remained close until an 8-0 Ohlone run gave it a 68-60 lead with 3:30 to go. A basket by Edwards tied the game at 70 with 1:03 remaining.
Ohlone had four players finish with double-figure scoring, led by Lopez with 18, including 10 in the second half.
Chabot's next two games are on the road against De Anza (Friday) and Las Positas (Jan. 15). The Gladiators return home to face Skyline on Jan. 17. All three games are scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Las Positas and Skyline are both ranked in the top 20 in the state currently (third and 16th respectively).
By Phil Jensen
Special to Chabot Athletics
Special to Chabot Athletics