CHS boys lose Marmonte League basketball title game vs. Moorpark

CHS boys lose Marmonte League basketball title game vs. Moorpark

HEATHER O'QUINN/The Acorn OFF THE GLASS--Senior David Hoffman of Calabasas goes for a layup against Moorpark during Friday's game at Westlake. The CHS coach was tossed out after getting a second technical.

By Wayne Harrison

Acorn Sports Writer

The Calabasas boys’ basketball team was defeated, 89-66, by Moorpark in the Marmonte League championship game played at Westlake High School last Friday night.

Ahead by just one point, 44-43, late in the third quarter, Moorpark hit two three-point shots and then two technical free throws to bolster the lead to seven, 52-45, then closed out the third period with five more unanswered points to lead, 57-45, after three quarters.

Early in the fourth quarter, Calabasas coach Russell White was tagged with a second technical foul, getting him ejected from the game. It will also cost him one playoff game.

After the coach’s ouster, the Coyotes fought back from a 67-49 deficit to make the score—at it’s closest—67-56, but Moorpark rallied again. And the hole dug by Calabasas was just too deep.

"I messed up, big time," White said after the game. "I made a huge mistake. I just crossed a line I shouldn’t have crossed."

White described what happened after the first technical—and what he should have done instead. "You have to sit down, and I stood up to clap and while I was cheering—which you’re allowed to do—I said something I shouldn’t have said," White said.

What did he say? "I don’t even know what I said," White said. "I was just looking at the other ref when I said it. It didn’t even matter, we made eye contact."

What does he think of the way his players responded—by not giving up despite the adversity? "The kids are great," White said. "They’re warriors, they’re absolute warriors. I let them down tonight."

Will his team be ready—even without him—for the opening round of the playoffs? "Yeah, we’re not done," White said. "They’ve got to win one more, so I could coach again. I’ve got to sit out the next one."

Assistant coach Lance Novak took over for White after the ejection.

"We had to keep working as a team and try to get the team focused," Novak said. "We still had time left in the game. We had the better part of a quarter to play, still, so we had to keep focused.

"Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get the job done, but it’s a learning experience for our team and a growing experience and we can move on," Novak added.

The Coyote players said that while their coach made a mistake by letting his emotions get the best of him, they still believed in White and they seemed to be prepared to bounce back in the playoffs.

"We just didn’t come with our ‘A’ game," said Jonny Wilson, who scored 13 points in the loss vs. the Musketeers. "We played hard, but it wasn’t good enough."

Wilson added, "We make mistakes, everyone does. This is a learning experience and we’ll come out strong in the playoffs. We’re still proud as a team. (I) still love every one of these guys and love the coach and (we’re) looking forward to the playoffs."

David Hoffman, like Wilson a senior who scored 13 points, agreed. "We let our emotions get the best of us today. (But) our coach, we love him," Hoffman said. "He knows he made a mistake, but you know what? It’s not over. We’ve got the playoffs right now and we’re just going to do the best we can."

Hoffman added, "We think we can go pretty far in the playoffs … We’ll just take this as kind of a learning experience, just a bump on our way to winning CIF. And we think we can do it."

Jason Saunders, a senior center, had eight points in the loss. He said the Coyotes never quit.

"We could have just given up, but we got it (the lead) down to 11 and that was without a leader, so we weren’t very cohesive," Saunders said. "Our heart was good enough to get us within striking distance and there’s something to be said for that."

Saunders added, "This game makes us even more determined to show everyone what we’re capable of, and I also think that the Marmonte League hasn’t heard the last of us. We’re going to be good in this league for a few years and we’re going to make everyone respect us."