By Phil Jensen
In a matchup between two established men's basketball programs, host Chabot College pulled away in the second half for a 91-76 victory over Las Positas on Wednesday night.
"We're learning how to close out big games," said Chabot coach Keenan McMiller, whose squad won its fifth straight game. "You never know who may step up."
Chabot, eighth in the state in the most recent CCCMBCA rankings, is now 17-4 overall and 5-0 in Coast Conference-North play. Las Positas, ranked 24th, is now 13-7, 0-4.
"It is unforgiving," said Las Positas coach James Giacomazzi about the Coast Conference. "If you make any little mistake or miscommunication, or you lose focus or concentration for a second, everybody in our league will make you pay for it.
"We're giving away too many easy points where now we have to work even that much harder. We've got to go back to the video and learn and get better, and we're learning on the job. We have a lot of youth. … Every experience is a learning experience."
Chabot sophomore guard Zach Broadous was an offensive force. The 6-foot-4 Broadous scored a game-high 31 points, including four 3-pointers and 9-for-12 shooting from the free-throw line.
"Man of consistency for two years," said McMiller about Broadous. "He's just a killer. When the lights are on and we need a bucket, he's going to bring it."
Alex Martin paced Las Positas in scoring with 18 points, including 6-for-7 free-throw shooting.
Chabot led 23-13 with 10 minutes, 36 seconds left in the first half on two free throws by Marcellus Edwards. But Las Positas chipped away at the lead, cutting it to two points twice in the next five minutes. However, a steal and layup by Chabot's Noah Thomas with 5:45 to go in the half started an 11-2 run over the next two minutes which forged a 41-30 lead.
Then it was Las Positas which had a run. A layup by Elliot Mobley started a 10-5 Hawks surge to end the half, as they trailed by only six points at 46-40.
In the second half, Las Positas narrowed Chabot's lead to 55-51 with 14:49 to go. But a putback by Makaio Mims started a 20-7 Gladiators run in the next 7 minutes, 39 seconds, and Chabot led by double figures the rest of the game.
McMiller said that Chabot changed to a matchup zone defense, and also changed its press and how it attacked offensively in the second half. Broadous produced 19 points in the second half, and Mims scored six of his 13 points. Two other double figure scorers for the Gladiators were Malik Kaba and Edwards, both with 11 points.
Las Positas' Elijah Mobley backed up Martin with 13 points, and teammate Sterling McClanahan added 11 points.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
GLADS ROUT HAWKS
The Chabot women's basketball team received a game-high 27 points from Kelly Tumlin in an 89-63 victory over visiting Las Positas on Wednesday. Tumlin, a sophomore guard, had a trio of 3-pointers and was 8-for-8 at the free-throw line.
Jadyn Anderson added 17 points in the win, as Chabot improved to 14-8 overall and 2-2 in Coast Conference-North action. Chabot is 19th in the most recent CCCWBCA state rankings.