KENTFIELD, Calif. — The Urban Blues may have come up short in the opening round of the 24th Bambauer Classic, but they certainly turned some heads in defeat.
The underdogs gave the Serra Padres all they could handle, turning a 14-point deficit into a four-point lead before the two-time tournament champions finally pulled through with a big fourth quarter keyed by sophomore Brady Smith for a 56-50 win.
On a Padres team with no one true offensive leader but 10 different candidates to be the lead scorer every day, Smith scored seven in the fourth and finished with 12, tied for the team lead with center Muti Shuman. After Urban (7-3) took control with a 19-8 third quarter, Shuman’s size advantage and Smith’s clutch play came into focus. Shuman got the opening basket of the fourth, towering over the Blues defenders, and Smith knocked down a 3-pointer on the following possession to put Serra (5-2) up 44-43. The Padres would never trail again, getting back-to-back buckets from Smith after a Kyle Neece 3-pointer brought Urban even at 48. Neece’s three would be the last time Urban scored from the field, and the only remaining points the Blues would tally came on a pair of Bryce Smith free throws with 3:26 left. Smith led all scorers with 14 while Neece and Jaydon Aquino each added eight.
Luke Bidinost scored all of his seven for Serra in the first half, scoring off a turnover in the second quarter to give the Padres their largest lead at 30-16. Urban would go into the half on an 8-1 run, capped off by a Smith 3-pointer, and the momentum would carry into the third, where both Smith and Aquino knocked down threes. A Sean Koffman 3-pointer would rattle around and go through to cut it to 39-37 as part of an 11-0 run to put the Blues up entering the fourth. Smith, Dane Bloom and Neece would all get baskets to close the quarter as Urban went ahead for the first time since the opening two minutes.
Central Catholic 69, Lincoln 57
Dalton Durossette and Nic Sani used their size advantage to power the Central Catholic Raiders to a 69-57 victory over Lincoln, but the first-round matchup will unfortunately be remembered for a scary fall from Mustangs sophomore Jordan Aquino with 47.3 seconds left in the game.
Aquino leapt for a loose ball at midcourt and came crashing to the ground, dislocating his shoulder and suffering a mild concussion. After a lengthy delay, tournament organizers decided to wipe out the remainder of game time and call the contest as it then stood.
Aquino had led Lincoln with 18 while his freshman brothers, Justin and Jeremyah, each knocked down a pair of 3-pointers. Justin scored 13 and Jeremyah added 12. However, Lincoln (7-2) was undone by an 11-of-18 performance on free throws and the inability to match up with Durossette and Sani.
Durossette, a Santa Clara baseball commit, had a game-high 22 points and pulled down eight rebounds, scoring nine in the first quarter as Central Catholic (7-3) got out to a 16-9 lead after eight minutes. The Mustangs got within one by the half, scoring 23 in the second quarter as Jordan banked in a deep three just before the horn, but CC regained control in the third. Durossette and Nic Sani (11 points, 13 rebounds) combined for 10 of the Raiders’ 16 in the third, with putbacks by Durossette and J.J. Williams opening up a double-digit lead. Dayton Magana, who scored 14, got the final basket of the third to make it 51-39, and the lead was never smaller than eight in the final quarter.
Redwood 64, Napa 48
The Giants held a 17-2 advantage after one quarter and led by 26 at half before Brayden Greenlee helped Napa (2-9) back into the game as the Grizzlies cut the lead to 11 in the fourth. Greenlee scored a game-high 26 and Jack Hunter added 15, but their teammates combined for just seven points. Redwood (4-4) got 16 from Callaway Allen off the bench while Ains Fish, Matt Shippey and Dom Wyllie each scored eight.
Heritage 55, San Marin 36
A 13-3 run to close the third put Heritage (6-4) in total control, restoring an 18-point lead after a valiant push by San Marin (1-8) to open the second half. Mitch Herode scored 18 for the Patriots and TJ Glasper added nine, while Tyson Geraci dropped in 16 for the Mustangs.
University 69, Terra Linda 43
Gavin McDonnell knocked down four 3-pointers as the Red Devils made quick work of the Trojans. In addition to McDonnell’s 12, University (6-4) got 13 points from Ren Zanze, 11 from Whitner Reichman and nine from Charlie Kennedy. Zack Cauz scored 12 for Terra Linda (4-5) in the fourth quarter while Chris de Langis finished the day with 10.
Late scores:
Rocklin 61, Mills 27
Mission Prep 74, Arcata 68
Marin Catholic 63, Westmoor 45
