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Falcons blaze to Shootout wins
By Dick Sparrer
Micah Weger isn't going to surprise anyone when basketball play begins in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League in January.
Not after what he's done in the preseason for the Saratoga Falcons.
Weger led the Falcons to the championship in the Los Gatos Lions Club Wildcat Shootout a couple of weeks back, and he led Saratoga to another tourney championship last week.
The Falcons won their own Saratoga Shootout, and Weger poured in 71 points in three games on his way to the tournament's most valuable player award.
Weger, an all-tourney team pick a week earlier when he scored 71 points in three games at the Wildcat Shootout, pumped in 36 points to lead the Falcons to an 87-81 win over Menlo in the tournament championship game on Friday night.
Weger was joined on the all-tourney list by teammate Mike Crosby, who also scored in double digits in each of the three Saratoga wins. Crosby finished with a personal best 17 points in the title game against Menlo.
Weger and Crosby were joined on the all-tournament team by Mark Khuri-Yakub and Brian Peck of Menlo, Mike Nakamura of Pioneer and Chad Holan of Prospect.
Nakamura, a senior star for the Mustangs, led Pioneer with 43 points in three games. He scored 15 in a 73-67 win over Cupertino, 14 in an overtime loss to Saratoga in the semifinals and 14 in a tight 42-40 win over Monta Vista in the third-place game.
But it was Weger who won top honors in a scoring role by averaging 23.6 points a game in the tournament.
The senior guard buried three of his 11 field goals from three-point range, and he added 11 points at the free-throw line to finish with 36 points in the title game against Menlo.
Crosby, who had hit 26 points in the first two games, pounded home 17 points in the championship-clinching win.
The Falcons, now 10-1 for the year, had opened the tournament with an easy 86-55 win over St. Lawrence Academy.
Saratoga had a tougher time in the semifinals against a scrappy Pioneer club. Weger drove for a key bucket in overtime to give the Falcons the lead, and Saratoga went on to secure a tight 74-70 victory.
Weger led the Falcons with 21 points, and Crosby supported with 15.
Shawn Abadojos had the hot hand for the Mustangs with 26 points, including three three-pointers, and Eddie Lewis drilled 17 points, also hitting three threes.
Nakamura continued his steady ways with 14 points for Pioneer. Brian Davis added seven points, and Brian had a three-pointer among his four points.
The loss dropped the Mustangs into the third-place game against Monta Vista. The Matadors had opened with a 62-34 win over Lincoln, but then lost 54-44 to Menlo. Pioneer had opened with a 73-67 win over Cupertino.
Nakamura came back with 14 more points, and Gilbert popped a pair of threes on his way to 10 points in Pioneer's tight 42-40 win over the Matadors in the fight for third place.
Lewis had a three among his eight points, Abadajos scored six, and Davis and Kevin Mack had two points apiece.
The Mustangs, now 5-5 for the year, opened the tourney with the six-point win over Cupertino.
Rams 2nd at Wildcat
A week before winning the Saratoga Shootout, the Falcons won the Wildcat Shootout at Los Gatos by beating Willow Glen 57-41 in the finals.
Weger and Crosby were named to the all-tournament team along with Willow Glen stars Casey Keegan and Guy Beahm.
Keegan and Beahm each went for 31 points in the first two games of the tourney to lead the Rams to victories and lead them into the championship game.
Beahm pumped in 31 in a 60-49 win over Armijo in the opener, and Keegan came back with 31 in a 46-39 victory over Gunderson in the semifinals.
Beahm poured in 27 more points a game later against Saratoga, but the Rams ended up dropping a 57-41 decision. Beahm buried three three-pointers among his seven field goals and added 10 points at the free-throw line against the Falcons.
Keegan and David Macchi supported with five points apiece in the loss. Jon Williams added two points, and Pete Watts and Kyran Warren hit a point apiece.
Beahm dropped a pair of threes among nine field goals and added 11 charity throws to finish with 31 points in the opener against Armijo.
Keegan chipped in with 18 points, including a couple of threes, and Mihn Phan had nine points in the win. Macchi added a bucket.
Keegan had game-high honors with 31 points in the 46-39 semifinal win over Gunderson. Beahm tossed in nine points, and Macchi, Phan and Watts added two each.
The Rams, who are now 5-3 for the year, came back with a split in play last week. Willow Glen topped Lynbrook 44-38, but lost 54-42 to Terra Nova.
Keegan buried four threes on his way to a 24-point night in the win over the Vikings. Beahm supported with 11 points, Williams had four, Watts three and Macchi two.
Beahm came back with 18 points and Keegan added 11, but the Rams lost to Terra Nova. Watts finished with eight points, Macchi and Phan two apiece and Williams one.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
