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CIF State boys’ basketball playoffs: Monterey falls to Chico in quarterfinals – Monterey Herald
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MONTEREY — It wasn’t time for reflection, rather disappointment.
No one anticipated turning in uniforms this weekend, not when Monterey High was undefeated in four previous Northern California divisional boys’ basketball home games.
Yet, the basketballs are going into storage. When the adrenaline wore off from a sold-out crowd, the Toreadores didn’t respond, getting outscored 42-28 in the second half in a 68-57 loss to Chico in the Division IV quarterfinals.
“We got outplayed tonight,” Monterey coach Greg Daniels said. “Chico was bigger, stronger and senior heavy. My bench is not deep. We got worn down.”
Adding to the wound of a season-ending loss for Monterey (20-9) was learning that top seed Head Royce was upset 42-37 by Burlingame.
“Really?” Daniels said.
Had the No. 4 seeded Toreadores won, it would have created a rematch of the Central Coast Section title game with Burlingame seven days ago, which Monterey won for its third CCS Division III title in the past six years. And the game would have been in Monterey.
Reaching March Madness has become an expectation at Monterey, which was playing in its fourth state tournament in the past six years. All the previous exits from the postseason have come on the road.
Walking out of Monterey’s historic gym left Daniels a little numb. In 10 previous games this season, the Toreadores were 9-1 at home.
“It’s time to be a dad,” said Daniels who concluded his 20th season at Monterey. “I’ll coach my son’s AAU team and play some catch with my daughter, who is playing softball.”
Unlike previous losses this season, it’s unlikely Daniels will watch film of the Toreadores’ season-ender. In fact, he’s never watched a full playoff loss on tape in his 20 seasons.
“I have never gotten through a full game in the past,” Daniels said. “It gets too painful. It’s hard to relive. You relive every play. I don’t need to watch film to feel that anguish. The loss in the CCS finals to Riordan in 2018 still eats at me.”
Having advanced to the quarterfinals after a 66-55 win over Kingsburg on Tuesday, the Toreadores took that momentum and opened up a 17-11 first quarter lead, maintaining a three-point cushion at the half.
“Usually our defense has been our stable during this postseason run,” Daniels said. “And it was in the first half. But these last two games it hasn’t been as good. Teams are better.”
And bigger. The Toreadores don’t have a player who stands above 6-foot-2, having relied on their quickness to trap or press teams when they needed a momentum swing.
“We just looked tired in the second half,” Daniels said. “Chico was physical. It’s tough for a kid 170 pounds trying to front a guy 45 pounds heavier and three inches taller. We played hard. We looked like we were worn out in the second half.”
Daniels pointed to a moment when Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division Most Valuable Player Matthew Gallagher buried a 3-point goal to get them to within five, only to see Chico come right down and get a layup.
Another 3-point goal from Gallagher, who finished with 23 points, had the Toreadores to within three midway through the fourth quarter.
But the Toreadores had no answer defensively in the final four minutes, as shots from the perimeter stopped falling, while the defense allowed 42 points in the second half.
“If I’m being honest, Chico outhustled us,” Daniels said. “And our shots weren’t falling in the second half. We got outrebounded. That’s been an Achilles heel for us all year. We got guys that play above the rim. We’re just small.”
Junior forward Suheib Ibrahim finished with 14 points, while sophomore post Preston White added 11.
Daniels, who never had his full team intact from Day 1 for various reasons, had a roster of just nine prior to calling up a handful of junior varsity kids for the playoffs.
“The kids were hurt,” Daniels said. “This isn’t how we wanted to go out. This group played hard all season. This will be one of my favorite groups. Just a bunch of great kids. No team drama. These kids played for each other.”
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