Underclassman keys Foothill boys’ stretch run against Coronado
Underclassmen can be a liability on the court in a tight game, but Foothill boys basketball coach Kevin Soares felt perfectly comfortable playing sophomore guard Greg Cox in the final minutes Wednesday.
Cox, who had already earned a reputation as a clutch shooter, came off the bench to confirm his coach’s confidence, nailing several key shots in the final six minutes to help lift the Falcons to a 72-64 road victory over Coronado.
The win helped Foothill maintain its hold on first place in the Southeast League, while handing the Cougars their first loss in league play.
“I just wanted to win,” said Cox, who scored 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter. “I know I can hit big shots; that’s what I want to do.”
It didn’t look like a close game early on, as Coronado started the game on an 8-0 barely a minute into the first quarter. But Soares said he has learned not to panic in those types of situations.
“That 8-0 run they had to start the game really gave (the Cougars) some confidence,” Soares said. “But our guys have a tendency to start slow.”
Coronado continued to build its lead, going ahead 19-8 on a layup and a foul shot by Gaven Holcomb with 2:53 left in the first quarter. But the Falcons came to life midway through the second period and used a 10-2 drive to narrow the deficit to 26-24 at halftime.
After tying the score three times, Foothill took its first lead when Evan Roquemore hit a free throw to go up 32-31 with 4:56 left in the third quarter.
But the Cougars battled back, reclaiming the lead with an Adam Schmitt 3-pointer and going ahead 46-39 using a 12-0 run late in the period. They maintained the advantage until Cox hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 5:40 left in the game to tie the score at 52.
“I put Greg in the game there because (Coronado) was sitting zone,” Soares said. “I knew if he could hit one, he could hit three or four in a row, and that would open things up for other players inside.”
Coronado answered quickly to go ahead 59-57, but Cox hit another 3-pointer with 3:41 left to give the Falcons a 60-59 edge.
After the Cougars battled back again to tie the score at 64, Cox nailed an off-balance 5-footer and a layup to give Foothill the lead for good with less than two minutes remaining.
The Cougars blew several late opportunities, turning the ball over on a 5-second violation and missing two key free throws in the final minute.
Roquemore had 24 points, 12 rebounds and three steals to pace Foothill, and teammate Chris Clementi finished with 12 points.
Brandon Glanz had 25 points and 18 rebounds to lead Coronado.
