HERMANN, Mo. - The California Pintos boys basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak with a 93-64 win over Wright City Feb. 1 in the seventh place game of the Hermann tournament. The team is now 7-10 on the year.
The team lost to St. James 78-43 in the first round of the tournament, followed by a 70-59 loss to St. Clair in the second round of the tournament.
Head coach Ron Lebel said a win can help the team move forward.
"Any win is important to us," Lebel said. "We had kind of been reeling a little bit, we lost two in the tournament and we lost to Osage at Osage, so it was good to get a win today and hopefully move forward."
The Pintos jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead in the first quarter. Wright City got on the board to make it an 8-2 game with 5:30 left to go in the quarter. A three-pointer by Trevor Porter made it an 11-4 game with less than five minutes on the clock. The Pintos led 17-8 with less than two minutes to go. With the Pintos up 20-12, Porter made another three-pointer to make it a 23-12 game with 1:39 to go, one of four three-pointers from Porter in the quarter. A basket by Garrett Burger made it an 11-point game at 25-14, and a steal and basket by Jordan Bondurant made it 27-14 with less than 10 seconds to go. Wright City then hit a three-pointer buzzer beater to make it a 27-17 game at the end of the quarter.
In the second quarter, with the team up 29-19, Trevor Porter made his fifth three-pointer of the night to make it a 32-19 game. California forced the first foul on Wright City with less than seven minutes to go in the second quarter, which led to two free throws by Trevor Myers that made it a 36-19 game. California then went on a 10-4 run to make it a 46-23 game with less than four minutes to go in the first half. The first half ended with California up 51-29.
The 93 points was a new season high for California. The team's previous high was 88 points, which they scored in their 88-84 win over Clopton on Dec. 28.
Lebel said the team was making its shots.
"Trevor Porter was hot early. Anytime you make some shots, it is easier to put on points," Lebel said. "It seems like we have to grind out some points. But we shot it really well today."
With less than five minutes to go in the third quarter, a three-pointer by Braeden Birdsong gave the Pintos a 21-point lead with the score at 62-41. Back-to-back baskets by Myers made it a 66-41 lead with 2:40 to go. The Pintos would make a buzzer beater of their own to make it a 71-50 game at the end of the third quarter.
California outscored Wright City 22-14 in the fourth quarter. California made 14 three-pointers in the game and shot 12-23 from the free throw line.
Lebel said the team shot the three-pointer with confidence in the game.
"I think that the difference between today and the rest of the week was we shot it with confidence today," Lebel said.
Trevor Porter and Trevor Myers both had a team-high 21 points, Calen Kruger with 12 points, and Jordan Bondurant and Braeden Birdsong, both with 11 points.
The team's next game is at 6 p.m Feb. 6 at home against Sweeet Springs.