The result was elimination from the Central Coast Section Division I tournament.

While winning 24 of 27 games in the regular season and again during a 74-62 triumph over Salinas in a CCS opener, the Firebirds rarely had difficulty scoring. And, in some games--including an Independence Tournament contest back on Dec. 8 against San Benito--putting up points from beyond the three-point arc was easier than hoping from two-point range.

But that same San Benito team that yielded 69 points to the Firebirds during the 12-point loss in December gave Fremont fits with backcourt and perimeter pressure at Foothill College on Feb. 26. Fremont could score only 35 points, a season low, marking only the second time it did not tally at least 55.

The Haybalers' pressure created turnovers, especially in the second half, which led to plenty of transition points and a 58-35 win over Fremont.

Instead of scoring nearly half of their points on 11 three-point baskets, as they did in the first meeting with San Benito, the Firebirds converted just one three-point attempt Saturday.

Sophomore Leo Janisse sank the trey during the first quarter. Sharp-shooting senior guard Chris Gokey, who drilled five of the Firebirds' eight three-pointers against Salinas two nights before, was held to two points.

Fremont played some defense of its own, limiting San Benito's top scorer (6-foot-7 Kyle Sharp) to just one point in the first half. Fremont led 7-5 after one quarter, but mustered just six points in the second quarter and trailed 15-13 at halftime.

San Benito held the Firebirds' leading scorer, senior Dan Bergeron, to seven points. Giovanni Conner scored six and Kevin Julian five, while Lance Turner and Allen Castillo tallied four each. Gokey and Jason Blackwell chipped in with two points apiece and Guarav Kumar canned a free throw.

Fremont's coach Miguel Castillo, who throughout the season praised the unselfishness and work ethic of this group of Firebirds, was quite pleased with how his team played in the first quarter of its CCS opener with Salinas.

The Firebirds blitzed the Cowboys 31-15 in the first eight minutes and rolled to their 25th win of the season. Bergeron (24 points), Gokey (15) and Conner (14) finished as the top scorers. Turner followed with nine points and Castillo had seven. Janisse scored five and Kumar added two.

Meanwhile, in the Division V quarterfinals at Burlingame High, The King's Academy turned strong showings by senior Jason Linn and junior Tim Biederman into a 55-40 victory over Valley Christian of Dublin.

The Knights, who improved their record to 22-7, were set to meet Eastside Prep of East Palo Alto in a semifinal game on March 1 at Burlingame. The winner advances to the championship game on March 5 against either Sacred Heart Prep or Mid Peninsula.

Linn scored 17 points, including 8 of 9 foul shots, hauled down 10 rebounds and passed out four assists. Biederman put down 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Scrappy senior Paul Marcoux had six points and four steals before fouling out. Another senior guard, J.T. Martin, had a fine all-around game with six points, six rebounds, three steals and three assists. Jacob Monroe added six points, Jon McBirney scored three and Steven Lim two for the Knights.

In Division II action, No. 7 Homestead could not cash in on a first-round home game, falling to No. 10 Aragon of San Mateo 69-56.