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Backcourt comes through in victory 

A day after losing a heartbreaker to St. Ignatius, the Berkeley boys’ basketball team turned up the heat on their out-of-state opponent, beating the Reno Huskies 57-48 in the second round of the Chris Vonture Spartan Classic at De La Salle High. 

Facing a much bigger opponent, the ’Jackets relied on their quickness and experience to pull them through. Three Berkeley guards scored in double figures, and the full-court pressure that has been drilled into the players’ minds by first-year coach Mike Gragnani forced the Huskies into numerous turnovers. 

Reno’s offense revolves around 6-foot-11 sophomore center David Padgett, who scored 17 points. Senior guard Alex Gamboa also poured in 17 for the Huskies, but only three other players scored against the Berkeley press. Gamboa spent most of the game trying to break that press, only to be held up over and over by the tenacious Berkeley defenders. 

“We’ve really got a three-headed monster in (guards) Allyn Washington, Ryan Davis and Byron St. Jules,” Gragnani said. “They all put tremendous pressure on the ballhandler.” 

Those three seniors also were the main scoring options for the ’Jackets, taking the ball to the basket despite the towering presence of Padgett. 

“I have no fear when I go into the lane,” said Washington, who scored eight points in a fast-paced third quarter. “My teammates just told me to take it to (Padgett).” 

Davis and St. Jules each finished the game with 11 points, while Washington contributed 10 points to the cause. 

The teams traded baskets and leads for the first three quarters, with neither team able to extend a lead beyond five points. But Gragnani’s players could see that the fast tempo was getting to the bigger Huskies. 

“It helped a lot that their big men got tired,” said forward Louis Riordan, a 6-foot-5 wing player who guarded Padgett for most of the game. “We dominated on the boards in the second half because of the pace.” 

Gragnani praised his forwards for their defense on Padgett. 

“Lou did a good job fronting him, and the help-side defense was there quickly when he got the ball,” Gragnani said. “He got tired and frustrated.” 

That frustration showed itself early in the second half, as Padgett elbowed Riordan out of the way, picking up his third foul and heading to the bench. His return was short-lived, however, as a collision with Berkeley’s rugged Ramone Reed resulted in Padgett being carried to the bench by two teammates, never to return.  

With their offensive hub out, the Huskies started tossing up outside shots with abandon. A five-point run gave the ’Jackets a 47-38 lead, and the Huskies never got closer than four points again.  

“This was a real good win over a quality opponent,” Gragnani said.