FIRST LOSS ENDS RAMS’ SEASON

20 missed free throws doom Fresno City against Riverside

By George Takata
VSP Senior Writer-

Undefeated teams don’t shoot free throws like this:

Brent Grice: 1-6 from the line.

Aaron Hill: 5-10.

Edward Willis: 1-4.

As a team: 16-36 (44.4 percent).

That’s why Fresno City, the number one team in the state coming into the state championships, isn’t undefeated anymore.

A 71-67 loss to Riverside in the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs at Selland Arena dashed Fresno City’s dream of an unblemished season. Now, their only loss is the one that sent them packing.

Sultan Toles-Bey led the Rams with a gutty 23 point performance, making three pointers and driving to the lane, drawing contact and getting to that ever intimidating free throw line. He was 3-5 from the charity stripe.

With the help of poor Rams’ shooting, the Tigers took a 30-25 lead into the halftime break. Fresno City shot 27.6 percent from the field in the first half.

Head coach Ed Madec’s crew never led in the second half, but whittled the Riverside lead to three points thanks to the marksmanship of Hill, who was 4-7 from long distance. Hill finished with 17 points.

Robbie Robinson led the Tigers with 18 points.

Riverside outscored Fresno City in the paint 37-16, but took just ten three point attempts compared to the Rams’ 33 attempts.

The Rams end their season with a 34-1 record.

THIS AND THAT: The Reedley men’s team lost to Saddleback College 62-56. Marquel Hoskins led the Tigers with 18 points. Reedley ends its season with a 25-7 record… The Fresno City women’s team pays Mt. San Antonio tonight at 7 at Selland Arena in the quarterfinal round… the high school basketball season is officially over; every team from the valley lost in the quarterfinal round of state playoff action last night (Hanford and Fresno Christian girls, and Bakersfield Christian and Central Valley Christian boys… all four teams played on the road.

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