Defense Rests; Sweetwater Beats Chula Vista, 100-94

The basketball fans who piled into Chula Vista High’s gymnasium Friday night to see the Metro League showdown between No. 3 Sweetwater and ninth-ranked Chula Vista, got a little preview of what Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis will be like.

No defense, but lots of action.

When the dust cleared Friday, visiting Sweetwater had won its 50th-straight Metro League game, defeating Chula Vista, 100-94.

The victory boosted Sweetwater’s record to 22-2 overall and 11-0 in league. Chula Vista fell to 15-6 and 10-1 in the Metro.

“That 50th-straight win is a real motivating force for our team,” said Sweetwater Coach Gary Zarecky. “We’re going to keep playing very hard to protect it. I was really proud of our team because they played as hard as any team could possibly play in this gym. There were really some great athletes out there tonight.”

And those athletes put on quite a show for the standing-room only crowd.

Red Devil forward Carlos Siragusa led all scorers with 33 points, connecting mostly after offensive rebounds. Guard Larry Willson complemented Siragusa’s effort with a variety of outside shots and finished with 29 points.

For Chula Vista, speedy guard Edgar Harvey led the way with 28 points. He scored five lay-up baskets in the first quarter, all of which came at the end of length-of-the-court passes from forward Darnell Woods. Woods, meanwhile, pounded away on the offensive glass and finished with 25.

Matt Simmons opened the game with two quick baskets to give Sweetwater a 4-0 lead, but Chula Vista came back behind Harvey, whose fifth breakaway basket put the Spartans ahead, 17-10, with 3:26 left in the first quarter.

Sweetwater rallied in the second quarter behind Simmons. After Mahlon Williams scored on a follow basket to tie the score at 30, Simmons scored six straight points to give the Red Devils a 37-34 lead midway through the period. Willson then hit two long jumpers in the final minute to make it 51-47 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Siragusa and Willson each scored two key baskets during a 12-2 run that gave the Red Devils their biggest lead of the game, 73-63, with 2:06 left. First, Willson scored on a jumper, and then, following a steal, scored on a lay up. Siragusa scored two more baskets after Spartan turnovers, and the 12-2 run was complete in just a minute-and-a-half.

Leading by 10, Sweetwater did everything but try to protect the lead. The Red Devils continued to go for the basket and Chula Vista benefited.

Woods scored on a follow shot with 6:12 remaining in the game to cut the lead to 82-80. But again, Siragusa regained control for the Red Devils. He scored on a follow shot and then, moments later, scored on a lay up to put his side ahead, 95-87, with 2:24 left.

The Spartans battled to within 96-94 in the final 30 seconds, but Simmons iced the game with a pair of free throws.