Briana powers Horned Toads over Hawks
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Liberty’s Roy Afonin goes up for a bucket during Friday’s loss to Sierra at the 12th annual Hawks Classic at Liberty.
Coalinga Horned Toads’ Jasmit Brian scored a game-high 30 points to lead his team to a 59-52 victory over host Liberty in the 12th annual Hawks Tournament at iberty.
The game featured big-time scorers from each team Saturday. Although Roy Afonin had a 27-point effort, the Hawks couldn’t keep pace with the Horned Toads’ hot shooting. Briana led the charge with 30 points, hitting from everywhere on the court.
Briana hit three of his four 3-pointers in the first half and scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to close out the Hawks.
Not only did Briana grab seven rebounds, he registered three steals. His work on both sides of the ball gave the Horned Toads a go-to player.
Briana’s teammate Damain Rochin chipped in with 10 points, along with three rebounds. He didn’t grab the headlines, but his consistent play through four quarters was key.
Along with the play of Rochin and Briana, the Horned Toads benefited from the free throw line. In total, Coalinga went to the line 14 times compared to Liberty’s seven tries.
In the fourth quarter, alone, the Horned Toads reached the free throw line seven times. Overall, Coalinga made 11 of 14 free throws.
The game opened on even terms. Both Liberty and Coalinga were neck-and-neck throughout.
Briana and Julio Gonzalez paced the Horned Toads after they combined for nine points in the first quarter. Coalinga started strong and never looked back.
The second quarter was all Liberty, or more like all Afonin. The captain was the only offensive threat in the quarter. He finished the frame with 12 points to keep his team afloat.
Whether it was a two-point jump shot or a long-range bomb, Afonin came to play and saved the Hawks from what could’ve been a bigger loss.
Coalinga continued to shoot the lights out of the gym, leaving very little chance of a comeback. Afonin and Briana battled back and forth in the fourth quarter, but it was the visiting team that prevailed. The pair combined for 22 in the quarter, 13 coming from Briana.
