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For Willow Glen last week, it was Will Robinson, and he most definitely was the way in a crucial match-up against Leland in Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa Division action. Robinson sizzled the nets for a game-high 18 points and directed the Rams from his point guard spot to will them to a scrappy 57-49 victory. The win was key as it moved Willow Glen to 5-4 in division play and into a tie with Leland for third place, staying on pace to qualify for the Central Coast Section playoffs.
"It was a very big win for us," Willow Glen coach Todd Meeker said. "We are trying to finish 7-7 or above in league and get into the playoffs. It was a good confidence builder for us."
"It was a hard-fought win and the guys were excited," the coach added. "They did the right things to win."
After Leland jumped out to a 15-10 advantage at the end of the first quarter of action, primarily as a result of the hot hand of David Farsai, it was Robinson who started doing all the right things. He had a hand in 13 of the Rams' 15 points in the second quarter, bagging a jumper from the corner, sinking 5 of 6 free throws and dealing out three assists. His relentless pressure on offense, along with a rash of turnovers and a shooting cold spell by the Chargers, opened the door for Willow Glen to knot the score at 25-25 by halftime.
"We wanted to control the tempo because the last time we played them they jumped out to a quick lead," Meeker said. "But we started slow and got behind again so when we fought back and tied it at the half--that was very good for us."
A different cast of characters took over after intermission, but the script was the same. Sophomore guard Steven Skavdahl swished in a couple of three balls and Hienock Habte tossed in three buckets to lead the Rams. At the other end of the court, Philip Petro knocked in a couple of baskets while Logan Foos, Farsai, and Jimi Kogura combined for 9 of 12 from the line for the Chargers. It all added up to a slim 40-39 edge for Leland as the final stanza began.
That was Robinson's cue to take center stage again. The Rams went back to what had been successful earlier in the game, which was a pressure offense with Robinson driving the lane and making things happen. He drew the fouls, converting on 5 of 8 from the line. He dished out a couple of assists, and he banked in a lay-up on a breakaway. It all proved too much for the Chargers to overcome as they couldn't find the bottom of the bucket, allowing the Rams to pull away for the win.
In addition to Robinson's 18-point effort, two other Rams were in double figures with Habte and Skavdahl knocking down 12 each. Ruben Medina dumped in eight from in the paint and Brian Chunn and Kyle Schroeder added two each. Adam Bruening sank a free throw.
Willow Glen traveled to Andrew Hill later in the week and hit another bump in the road to the playoffs. The Rams suffered a 40-31 defeat in a low scoring affair.
"We scored 12 in the first quarter but went dead from there," Meeker said. "We couldn't find any offensive rhythm. When you hold a team to 40 points, you feel like you should be able to win, but our offense just was not there."
Skavdahl led what offense there was, tossing in 10 points with eight of those coming in the first quarter. Robinson was good for nine points and Habte netted seven. The loss dropped the Rams to a 5-5 division mark with four games to play.
The Rams will have their work cut out for them this week as they continue to work toward securing a playoff spot. They host a hot and cold Gunderson squad on Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. and then division leader Overfelt comes for a visit on Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
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