Lions' Wildcat Shootout is returning to Los Gatos

By Dick Sparrer

There's been a lot of talk about football, volleyball and cross country around the Los Gatos High campus this year, and for good reason--they're all champions.

But the attention turns to basketball this week as the Wildcats prepare to host the annual Los Gatos Lions' Club Wildcat Shootout on the Gatos floor.

The Wildcats will host six area teams and one club from out of the area in the tournament that runs from Dec. 6-9 in the Los Gatos gym.

The tourney opens on Dec. 6 when Pioneer and Willow Glen collide at 5:30 p.m. Los Gatos will host Branham at 7 p.m. the same day.

First-round action continues on Dec. 7 with Live Oak facing Armijo of Fairfield at 5:30 p.m. and Saratoga meeting Leland at 7 p.m.

Play continues on Dec. 8 with consolation bracket games at 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. and winner's bracket games at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The finals are set for Dec. 9 with the consolation championship game at 4 p.m., the third-place game at 5:30 p.m. and the championship game at 7 p.m.

Los Gatos is coming off of a second-place showing at the Westmont Invitational. The Wildcats opened with a 51-48 win over Prospect and beat Westmont 53-42 a game later, but lost a 47-45 heartbreaker to Del Mar in the tournament final.

Chris McMorrow pitched in 14 points to lead all Gatos scorers in the championship game against the Dons. Ben Sandigo supported with 13 points and Scott Holbert joined the two in double digits with 11 points. Jayson Furia added five points, including a three-pointer, and Ben Kane had two.

Gatos jumped out to a 13-6 first-period lead against the Dons and held a seven-point cushion at intermission, 24-17. But Del Mar tied it after three, outscoring the Cats 17-10 in the third quarter, then won it by topping Gatos 13-11 in the fourth.

Kane and McMorrow had fired in 12 points apiece to lead the Wildcats to the 53-42 win over Westmont in the semifinals. Sandigo joined the two in double figures with 10 points.

Holbert supported with nine points and Furia was close behind with eight, including a three-pointer.

Los Gatos dominated the Warriors 20-9 in the first period and 15-7 in the second to take a commanding 19-point lead by the half, 35-16. The Wildcats held on from there for the nine-point win.

McMorrow buried 17 points to lead the Wildcats to a tournament-opening 51-48 win over Prospect. The 6-foot-4 junior forward had a three among his seven field goals and he added two points at the free-throw line.

Sandigo chipped in with 12 points in the win over the Panthers. Kane hit nine, Holbert eight and Furia five.

It was Los Gatos battling from behind for the win in this one. the Panthers led 14-10 after a quarter and 28-23 at the half, but the Cats cut the lead by three in the third period, then outscored Prospect 13-8 in the fourth to win by three.

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Lions' Wildcat Shootout is returning to Los Gatos