Almaden Resident
Sports
Sophomore steps up for Pioneer in victory
By Kevin Sparrer
It was an amazing group effort by three seniors ... and a sophomore?
That's what it took for the Pioneer boys basketball team to knock off rival Leland last Friday night--a sophomore to step up with a big night.
Seniors Nick Maggipinto, Mike Beltramo and Shawn Bundlie combined with soph Jason Berticevich for 47 points in Pioneer's 49-39 victory over the Chargers at Leland on Jan. 18.
The win was Pioneer's first this season in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League after the Mustangs lost in their first three tries against Santa Teresa, Oak Grove and Leigh.
"We lost some heartbreakers," said Pioneer head coach Joe Berticevich. "We fought hard in our first games, but we were still 0-3. It's always good to get a W."
With only eight players on the floor, Pioneer is fixing some of the holes due to injuries, including the loss of Nick Sarabia, who had been a leader on the team.
Maggipinto led the Mustangs with 14 points, including a pair of threes and a couple of free throws. Berticevich scored 12 with two threes, Beltramo had 11 with a three and Bundlie had 10 with two at the line and two beyond the arc.
Sophomore Su Grewal and junior Terrance Duncan each had a free throw in the win.
Will Houston, a 6-foot-6 junior forward, didn't do much on the scoreboard, but he was an authority on defense, blocking five shots for the Mustangs.
Pioneer was actually trailing 10-7 against the Chargers at the end of the first quarter, but both teams broke out of it a little, finishing the first half tied 20-20. Pioneer took a slight lead, scoring 17 in the third quarter and holding Leland to 15, then ran away with the game in the fourth quarter, holding the Chargers to only four points in the eight minutes while scoring 12.
For Leland it was junior Adam Mackey who led the offense with 18 points, sinking four from beyond the arc. Senior Nolan Capuz and junior Gregg Hipwell each had seven, with both sinking a three and dropping two at the line. Senior Bentli Bejan had four, senior Drew Marino had two and senior Ryan Hall had one.
Though the final score doesn't show it, the game was quite close, with the lead changing hands three times in the first quarter. Pioneer started to pull away toward the end of the first half when Maggipinto and Beltramo sunk baskets to give Pioneer a four-point lead, but Leland came right back with Hipwell and Capuz each sinking two free throws on one and ones to keep the game tied.
Then there was even more of a battle in the third quarter, when the scoring went back and forth after Mackey opened the quarter with a three. Bundlie answered with a three of his own. Bejan then had a nice put-back on a rebound, giving Leland the lead again before Bundlie hit another three.
Leland took the lead back with two points by Mackey and Berticevich gave the Mustangs the lead with a three. Mackey then was the man again to take it back for Leland with a three, and Maggipinto went ahead again Pioneer's fourth three-pointer in a row. Hipwell came back again with a three, and Beltramo sunk Pioneer's fifth straight three-pointer.
Ultimately it was Beltramo with another two-pointer to hold the lead, but Bejan ended Leland's scoring in the quarter with a two, but it was two short for the lead.
Pioneer fell 58-46 on Jan. 16 to Leigh and will play three games this week. The first of those games pitted the Mustangs against Piedmont Hills on Jan. 22 and then they will head to Westmont on Jan. 24 with a 7 p.m. start, before hosting Sobrato on Jan. 26 for another 7 p.m. start. Pioneer heads to Santa Teresa on Jan. 29.
Leland struggled last week with a loss to Piedmont Hills on Jan. 16, 55-47. The Chargers also have three games this week: They started against Westmont on Jan. 22 and will go to Sobrato on Jan. 24 for a 7 p.m. tip-off and then to Santa Teresa on Jan. 26 for a 7:30 p.m. start. The Chargers host Oak Grove on Jan. 29.
Marino tossed in 17 points in Leland's loss to Piedmont Hills. The 5-foot-7 senior guard pitched in 4 of 5 buckets from three-point range and was 3 for 3 at the free-throw line.
Hipwell supported with 10 points and led the Chargers with eight rebounds and a couple of steals.
Hall had a three among his eight points, Bejan and Cody Tyson added four points apiece, Mackey hit a three and Selness had a point.
Bejan supported Hipwell's effort on the boards with six rebounds, Selness and Hall added five apiece; and Mackey grabbed three. Matt Vera had a couple of assists.