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High School Boys Basketball - Justin-Siena Braves

Sonoma Valley makes a few more plays to edge Justin-Siena in nail-biter

By Kyle Foster

kfost91197@gmail.com

Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews

When each game is decided by one or two possessions, knocking down shots and doing the little things is pretty important. 

That would prove to be the difference as the Justin-Siena boys basketball team fell 65-59 to Sonoma Valley. 

The Dragons (9-7 overall, 2-1 Vine Valley Athletic League) also were able to get a lot of the tossup plays, which helped swing the contest in their favor. 

“I told the guys back there, it was just the extra effort plays – fifty-fifty balls, offensive rebounds,” Justin-Siena interim head coach Nicholas Guillory explained. “In a two-possession game, every possession matters. So not coming up with those rebounds,  and being able to push the opposite way at the end of the game there really hurt us.” 

Justin-Siena’s Jaden Washington pushes the ball upcourt against Sonoma Valley on Tuesday night at Clark Gym. (Kyle Foster)

Maybe the biggest reason Sonoma Valley won was the massive effort they got from Dom Girish. The senior guard finished the game with 30 points. He also was nearly perfect from the free-throw line making 12 of his 13 shots from there. 

“I want to give credit to my guys. They took on the challenge,” Guillory said. “They played their tails off. Dom’s is an excellent, excellent player. He could score in a lot of different ways. He can get to the rim. He’s strong. He just had a great game. Sometimes, that’s how it goes.” 

Speaking of free throws. Justin-Siena (10-5, 0-2 VVAL) had a rough night from the line. They converted 13 of their 20 shots from the charity stripe. 

Justin-Siena’s Travis Hightower goes up for a layup against Sonoma Valley on Tuesday night at Clark Gym. (Kyle Foster)

Leading the way for Justin-Siena was Travis Hightower. The junior finished the night with 19 points and four rebounds. He was able to score 12 of his points and do most of his damage in the second half. He also converted 2 of his 3 free throws. 

“When Travis is aggressive, we’re a better basketball team, and he was aggressive in the right spots, played within the team concepts, guarded Dom for a lot of the game,” Guillory said of Hightower’s night. “He played his tail off.” 

Jaden Washington added 11 points and brought in four rebounds, and blocked a shot as well. 

“Getting Jaden going was huge,” Guillory added. “He hit a clutch three at the end of the third quarter I believe, and when he can bring the defense out with his three-point shooting it opens up everything else underneath so that was big.”

Vince Jackson was the leading rebounder for Justin-Siena bringing in eight and scoring four points as well. He also made both of his free throws. 

Both teams will be back in action on Thursday night at 7 pm. Sonoma Valley will return home to host Casa Grande-Petaluma. Meanwhile, Justin-Siena will travel to Petaluma.  

In the other VVAL game on Tuesday night, American Canyon beat Petaluma 68-65.

Napa Sports News