Marin Catholic star Joey Calcaterra weaved around Redwood defenders, throwing up shot after shot and leaving Redwood and its fans dumbfounded with his 35-point performance Tuesday night.
Redwood fell victim to Calcaterra’s near perfection, as it seemed like there was nothing it could do to stop his brilliant performance. Calcaterra’s 35 points lifted MC to a 74-51 victory to advance further in the MCAL playoffs and reclaim its seat among MCAL’s top teams.
The loss knocks Redwood out of the MCAL playoffs and puts a damper on what was largely considered a successful season, which included an 86-81 win against MC in the final game of the regular season.
When it mattered most, the Giants failed to capitalize, as they suffered one of their worst losses of the season.
Marin Catholic got off to a quick 6-0 lead and Redwood’s offense was relatively static from the start, which proved to be an indicator of the Giants’ lackluster performance. Senior captain Mike Sullivan led the Giants with 16 points, but shot only 31 percent from the field. Sullivan, who had 41 points in Redwood’s previous victory against MC, looked out of sync against an athletic Marin Catholic defense, as did his fellow teammates.
Junior Jordan Jackson, an electric playmaker for the Giants this season, also went cold, making only three of 19 shots. Many of his misses were three-point attempts as the Wildcats stretched their lead late in the fourth quarter.
Whether it was overconfidence or unpreparedness, the Giants were overmatched and outplayed, putting an end to an MCAL season that had seemed to rejuvenate Redwood basketball.
The hordes of Redwood fans that had filled the bleachers during big regular season games were nowhere to be seen. In fact, a mass exodus of fans filed out of the bleachers before the final buzzer, signaling a sad ending for the Giants on Tuesday night.
What the loss means for Redwood:
Redwood’s quest for an MCAL championship ended on Tuesday, but its season isn’t finished. The team will look to avenge this loss in the NCS tournament and avoid losing in the first round, as it did last year when it fell to Newark by a score of 56-45.
Looking toward the future, the success of this year bodes well for next season, as a plethora of players will likely return to the Giants, some of whom were key contributors to this year’s team as the Giants often started four juniors and one senior. While they will lose key rotation players such as Michael Sullivan and Nick Laub, they will retain a solid core of juniors: Jordan Jackson, Charlie Reis, Alex Wilson, and Brendan Shepard.
What the win means for Marin Catholic:
The Wildcats continued their run for the MCAL championship Thursday night against Drake, but fell 67-57 to the top-ranked Pirates. Calcaterra scored 43 of the Wildcats’ points in Thursday’s loss. In the long haul, the team figures to be a top competitor next season as well, as arguably its two best players, Calcaterra and junior Dempsey Roggenbuck, will return.
Tip-ins:
- Redwood shot 23.5 percent from three-point range, compared to Marin Catholic’s 41.7 percent.
- Marin Catholic scored twice as many points off of turnovers as the Giants, a key part of its victory. It also had 13 second-chance points, while Redwood only had eight.
- Reis was the Giants’ most efficient offensive player. He made 6 out of 7 shots and finished with 14 points.
- Calcaterra has scored 97 points in Marin Catholic’s three meetings with the Giants.
Highlights:
Marin Catholic’s defense makes life difficult for Redwood’s offense:
Redwood’s Jackson fails to convert a contested layup:
Redwood’s Sullivan crosses over and pulls up a three-pointer:
