Southwest Prevails Despite 39 by Green

Ice ice, baby, so cold.

The biggest drop in temperature Friday night at Chula Vista High came sometime between the second and third quarters, when everything the Spartan boys’ basketball team touched turned frigid.

And while Chula Vista turned cold, Southwest heated up in a hurry, registered an 83-75 Metro Conference victory and bounced back from a dismal 20-point loss Tuesday to Bonita Vista in its conference opener.

So it’s still early in the season. But after the lopsided loss earlier in the week, forward Devin Patterson, who led Southwest with 22 points, said a victory at Chula Vista was timely.

“This was real important,” said Patterson. “Chula Vista’s one of the top teams in the Metro Conference. And this was a real confidence builder.”

One Chula Vista (4-3, 1-1) player who didn’t need a confidence boost at any point in the night was 6-foot-2 forward Jerome Green.

Green, a sophomore, and senior Shane Howell figured to be the one-two punch that would knock out a good many opponents during Chula Vista’s season.

Green had a game-high 39 points, including a four three-point baskets in the fourth quarter, and Howell had 13 points before fouling out early in the fourth.

But it their virtual silence in the second and third quarters that turned the shape of things in Southwest’s favor. After Chula Vista’s Miguel Quinones scored with three minutes remaining in the third quarter to pull to 54-52, the Spartans weren’t heard of again until the Andy Duran scored at 4:44 in the fourth, and trailing, 65-54.

“We knew we had to stop Green from three-point range and start coming up with more rebounds,” said Patterson.

Southwest (3-4, 1-1) also got a clutch free-throw performance from Roger Galang (21 points), who was 8 of 9 from the foul line and from Patterson, who went 9 of 14.

“Our free throwing really helped us down the stretch,” Southwest Coach Steve Selland said.

Chula Vista, hurt by the transfer of Carnell Penn to Virginia and by late additions who were playing football long after basketball practice had started, has established itself as a one or two-dimensional team.

The Raiders countered that with balance, and getting help from everyone. Toby Limjoco (10 points) and Zachary Reiff (11 points) were in other players in double figures. Jerry Racette led Southwest with 10 rebounds.

“One guy didn’t beat them,” Selland said. “We shut them down as a team. And one guy didn’t win it for us. We won it as a team.”

Chula Vista coach Mike Collins said the Spartans, who have given up an average of 70 points this season, must plug the holes in its defense.

“We’re giving up way too many points,” he said. “And we didn’t do that much on offense tonight.”