That's Gotta Hurt(Frank Otis)
Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 1:29 pmMack turns away a game Oak Grove
By Kyle Bonagura, STAFF WRITER
Article Last Updated: 12/16/2007 02:33:45 AM PST
NEWARK  It might have been a rematch between the two NorCal Division I finalists from a year ago, but McClymonds High boys basketball coach Dwight Nathaniel wasn't expecting anything close to the 69-68 overtime thriller his team won a year ago.
After all, Oak Grove had already lost more games (3) than it had all of last year (2) and is still adjusting to the return of its football players.
That didn't stop the Eagles from giving McClymonds one of its toughest games of the young season, but after trailing 40-38 with 3:15 left in the game, the Warriors busted it open to win 53-42 Saturday at the Newark Memorial Shootout.
"I didn't expect it to be this close," Nathaniel said. "It's good, though. We haven't been in many close games, and I was thinking if we don't get in some close games that might hurt us later in the season."
Damon Powell was a force in the first half for Mack (9-0), scoring eight points  including two on highlight-reel alley-oops  and finished with 13 points.
"This was an emotional game for us," Oak Grove coach Rich Young said. "There were some tough calls that went against us when we took the lead in the fourth, and then we lost our best player (Kelly Kaigler) when he dislocated his shoulder."
The injury came when Kaigler dove for a loose ball. With him out of the Eagles lineup, Mack went on a 15-4 run to end the game.
Oak Grove (2-4) did a good job limiting Frank Otis to four points over the first
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three quarters, but once Mack made a point to feed Otis on the block, he was hard to stop and finished the game with 11 points.
"We didn't know it, but in the first half his fingernail was falling off so we had to get that fixed at the half," Nathaniel said of the senior forward who signed with SMU. "Then he twisted his ankle in the third quarter. Once we got that taped up we decided to give him the ball a lot more."
William Cherry finished with team-high 14 points and scored eight of Mack's final 11 points
By Kyle Bonagura, STAFF WRITER
Article Last Updated: 12/16/2007 02:33:45 AM PST
NEWARK  It might have been a rematch between the two NorCal Division I finalists from a year ago, but McClymonds High boys basketball coach Dwight Nathaniel wasn't expecting anything close to the 69-68 overtime thriller his team won a year ago.
After all, Oak Grove had already lost more games (3) than it had all of last year (2) and is still adjusting to the return of its football players.
That didn't stop the Eagles from giving McClymonds one of its toughest games of the young season, but after trailing 40-38 with 3:15 left in the game, the Warriors busted it open to win 53-42 Saturday at the Newark Memorial Shootout.
"I didn't expect it to be this close," Nathaniel said. "It's good, though. We haven't been in many close games, and I was thinking if we don't get in some close games that might hurt us later in the season."
Damon Powell was a force in the first half for Mack (9-0), scoring eight points  including two on highlight-reel alley-oops  and finished with 13 points.
"This was an emotional game for us," Oak Grove coach Rich Young said. "There were some tough calls that went against us when we took the lead in the fourth, and then we lost our best player (Kelly Kaigler) when he dislocated his shoulder."
The injury came when Kaigler dove for a loose ball. With him out of the Eagles lineup, Mack went on a 15-4 run to end the game.
Oak Grove (2-4) did a good job limiting Frank Otis to four points over the first
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three quarters, but once Mack made a point to feed Otis on the block, he was hard to stop and finished the game with 11 points.
"We didn't know it, but in the first half his fingernail was falling off so we had to get that fixed at the half," Nathaniel said of the senior forward who signed with SMU. "Then he twisted his ankle in the third quarter. Once we got that taped up we decided to give him the ball a lot more."
William Cherry finished with team-high 14 points and scored eight of Mack's final 11 points