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Gatos girls are consolation champs
Girls, boys basketball teams open league play
By Dick Sparrer
The Los Gatos girls knew they couldn't win the championship in the Oak Grove Holiday Classic, at least not after suffering a 43-24 loss to Palo Alto in the first round tourney play.
So the Wildcats went out and did the next best thing ... they won the consolation crown.
The Gatos girls fought back after the first-round loss to win three straight games, including a thrilling 54-53 win over Del Mar in the consolation title game.
The win helped the Cats get even with the Dons since Gatos lost to Del Mar earlier in the year, but it was a win that certainly didn't come easy.
"It was an extremely intense game," said Paul Williams, an assistant to Los Gatos head coach Dedrick Brooks. "They missed a lay-up at the buzzer."
Still, it was a satisfying win for the Wildcats, who were led by junior Jenny Dixon and freshman Alexa Anderson.
Dixon tossed in 15 points, including a three-pointer, to lead all Los Gatos scorers in the win and Anderson supported with 13, also including a three.
Julia Pugliese had a three among her seven points before fouling out late in the game. Still, Pugliese's performance overall was good enough to earn her a place on the all-tournament team.
Michelle Bertizhoff and Katie McClenathan tossed in six points apiece for the Cats in the victory. Annie Green had a three among her five points and Marissa Nunn had two points.
The Cats were up by just a point at 13-12 after a period but outscored Del Mar 18-12 in the second to lead by seven at intermission, 31-24. The Dons battled back, though, topping Gatos 17-12 in the third and 12-11 in the get within a point. But the last second shot missed its mark, and the Wildcats clinched the win.
Los Gatos, 7-6 for the year, earned the place in the consolation championship game with a convincing 56-40 win over Santa Clara a game earlier.
Pugliese, Beritzhoff and Anderson fired in 10 points each to drive the Cats to the win over the Bruins. Pugliese hit a three-pointer.
Green supported with eight points in the win, McClenathan had seven, Nunn hit six and Virginia Fritsch popped five free throws.
The Wildcats blanked Santa Clara 13-0 in the first quarter and coasted from there to the victory.
Pugliese and Green buried 14 points apiece and each hit a couple of threes to lead the Wildcats to a tight 48-40 win over Wilcox.
Anderson chipped in with eight points, Fritsch had six, McClenathan four and Nunn two.
Los Gatos outscored Wilcox in every period but the third on the road to the victory. The Cats topped the Chargers 16-15 in the first quarter and 12-6 in the second to take a seven-point lead at the half. Wilcox cut the lead by four after three periods, but Gatos took control in the fourth to roll to the win.
Things didn't go well for the Wildcats in the tourney opener against Paly. Gatos could manage just 24 points against the Vikings in the first-round loss.
Beritzhoff led the Wildcats with 12 points, and Fritsch added seven. Pugliese supported with four points and Anderson had one.
The Los Gatos girls, who played in the Del Mar Tournament last weekend, will begin league action this week when they open play in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League at home against Gunn on Jan. 2, 7 p.m. The Cats will visit St. Francis on Jan. 4, 7:30 p.m.
The Los Gatos boys, meanwhile, open the De Anza Division season this week when they host Gunn on Jan. 3, 7 p.m. The Cats will visit Lynbrook for a league game on Jan. 5, 7:30 p.m.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
The Los Gatos girls got a little revenge with a 54-53 win over Del Mar in the consolation finals of the Oak Grove Holiday Classic. The Cats had lost to the Dons earlier this season. Virginia Fritsch works the ball up the court in that loss.
