Spartan defense shuts down San Marino, 57-38

The Spartans have a habit of putting teams away early this season. Friday’s home game against San Marino was no different as La Cañada’s fast start was enough to handily beat the Titans, 57-38.

It was the Spartan defense that allowed them to win handily, limiting San Marino to just six first quarter points and did not allow the Titans to convert a field goal for nearly 8 minutes.

“We’re a real good defensive team right now,” said Spartan head coach Tom Hoffman. “We’re getting a lot better. I am happy with our progress.”

Jeff Grigg and Will Baldwin paced the Spartans with 16 of the team’s first 32 points, as La Cañada lead 32-8 midway through the second period.

Grigg led the team in scoring with 12 points – all his points from behind the three-point line – while Baldwin finished with 10 points. Steven Johnson chipped in with 9 points.

Midway through the first quarter, Brandon Yee converted a three-pointer for San Marino to cut the La Cañada lead to 10-6.

However, it was the last field goal the Titans would score, as the Spartans went on a 15-0 run en route to a 25-6 lead.

Chevy McGinley ended the run with a pair of free-throws, and Yee finally converted a field goal to end the Titan drought. Through three periods, San Marino only converted eight field goals, and trailed 53-21 entering the final frame.

In garbage time, San Marino finally found some offense. In fact, they started the fourth quarter on a 15-0 run to cut the Spartan lead to 53-37 – the closest they had been since the end of the first quarter when they trailed 20-6.

Yet the offensive outburst was too little, too late, as the Spartan lead was too large to overcome.

“We shot the ball well and got some offensive rebounds,” added coach Hoffman. “We moved the ball real well during the first half.”

For the game, the Spartans had 15 offensive rebounds.

McGinley led the Titans with 15 points, including eight points in the fourth quarter.