Big first half dooms Coyotes vs. Tigers
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Madera’s Jesus Arzola reaches up for a shot during Tuesday’s loss to Edison.
The Edison-Fresno Tigers outscored the Madera Coyotes boys basketball team 39-27 in the first half to capture the County/Metro Athletic Conference victory 80-50 in Madera.
“Their body language was phenomenal tonight,” Madera head coach David Lozano said of his team. “They kept trying to chip away and chip away and even when it got further away towards the second half, they found a way to give effort and that’s all I ask for.”
Led by Tejon Herrington and Josh Nourian, the Tigers raced out to an eight-point lead Tuesday night after the end of the first quarter and never looked back. Herrington and Nourian combined for a team-high 33 points in an efficient night shooting for the pair.
Along with their offensive showcase, the Tigers harassed the Coyotes all night. Edison finished the game with 16 steals. De’Andre Greeley and Wrenden Guevara combined for nine steals.
“They’re a tough team,” Lozano said. “They’re all long and athletic and they play hard as heck and they don’t quit on possessions.”
Although the Coyotes were upended by the Tigers, Christian Aguilar and Jesus Arzola gave the home fans something to cheer about.
The duo combined for 30 points, including eight3-pointers threes. Aguilar and Arzola hit four deep threes in the first and four more in the second half.
The pair’s hot shooting allowed Madera to put up 16 points in the fourth quarter.
“The ability is there,” Lozano said. “Getting it out of them, however is the key. We have some guys that can shoot, I just try to give them confidence.”
