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| Tigers' streak ends at Livingston |
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| Written by Marc Aceves / Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 30 January 2008 | |
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“... We did things out of character.” — Tony Lomeli Jr., PHS boys basketball coach LIVINGSTON — The Patterson boys basketball team fell 63-54 to host Livingston on Friday, marking the first loss this season to a league opponent. It also marks the first blemish on Patterson’s overall record in almost a month, a streak that saw the Tigers run off eight consecutive wins. The team appeared disappointed, but not demoralized, after the loss. “We need to keep our heads up,” Patterson senior forward Ryan DeForest said. “We still only have one loss so far (in league play), and we still have a league championship to win.” The Tigers, most notably the senior players, had looked forward to the prospect of finishing undefeated in Western Athletic Conference play this season. However, players said their loss to Livingston mostly was due to their inability to take care of and handle the ball. Patterson coach Tony Lomeli Jr. also attributes the Wolves’ victory to his team’s unforced errors.  Patterson's Mitch Becerra goes up for a jumper with teammate Justin Nuckolls looking on. Photo by Marc Aceves “They didn’t make us turn the ball over,” Lomeli said. “We made passes when they weren’t forcing us to, and we did things out of character.” The Tigers played well in the first half, taking a 27-20 lead into the break. They seemed completely unaffected by the homecoming hullabaloo generated from the raucous, sold-out Livingston crowd. “We came out on the road and showed some resiliency in the second quarter,” Lomeli said. “This was the first time that we’ve actually played a good first half.” The momentum was short-lived. Patterson committed an astounding 40 turnovers by the game’s end. The Tigers looked flustered down the stretch, telegraphing their passes directly into the waiting hands of Wolves defenders and sending loose balls and sloppy passes out of bounds. Patterson also struggled from the foul line, sinking only 12 of its 22 opportunities from the stripe. Livingston, on the other hand, was on target from the free-throw line. With the Tigers’ backs against the wall, the Wolves hit their clutch free throws to pull away. “They’re a good-shooting free-throw team,” Lomeli said. “They’re going to knock down those free throws late to stay in the game, and that’s where they won tonight.” The Tigers’ Felix Mapanda was relentless throughout the contest, finishing with 21 points and 13 rebounds. But even his efforts were not enough to overcome Patterson’s mistake-prone evening. With an 8-1 record in the WAC and a 17-4 overall standing, there is hardly any cause for alarm for Patterson. Lomeli remains confident in his team’s abilities. “Each time we’ve had a loss, we’ve bounced back,” Lomeli said. “After every loss, we’ve started a new winning streak. Now is our chance to start one going into the playoffs.” To reach Marc Aceves at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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