Marauders come back for revenge
- Updated: February 10, 2022
2021-22 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
By Dave Dickens
EastCountySports.com
EL CAJON (2-8-2022) — These two squads are truly rival programs as of late and especially this season.
In their last meeting, it was a true barn burner and this one was gonna be similar it appeared. The two league rivals have played seven games since their last meeting.
It was also the fact that the Patriots knocked off the Marauders in their own gym. The Patriots were 7-11 at the time, and the Marauders were 8-9 after the loss, 55-53, in overtime.
This was back on Jan. 18. Mira Mesa was eager to return the favor this evening.
This time around the records were a little different, Mira Mesa (13-11, 6-3 3rd in the Eastern) and Christian (10-16, 5-4 5th in the Eastern). This one was an even tighter rematch this time around as the first half came to a conclusion, 29-28, in favor of Mira Mesa. Talk about not leaving your seat for the concessions or you probably would miss a change in the score, possession, or a phenomenal play on either side. Grab some popcorn on the way out at the end of this one.
Christian’s Patrick Perez wanted the sweep as he led the Patriots’ offensive attack in the first half with 10 total points and a pair of three-pointers with a 2-for-2 at the foul line. Perez is always up, especially for the big league battles, as is the whole team.
Mira Mesa came out of the locker room like they had something to prove, as they owned the Patriots in the third quarter, 19-9. Utilizing some quality defense, the Marauders held Perez to an anemic five points along with Ben Felice and Hunter Provience going scoreless as well.
However, the Patriots came back in the fourth and battled as if it were a playoff elimination game.
The Patriots outscored the Marauders, 21-15, in the fourth, however, it was those couple of points they didn’t score in the first and third quarter that ended up costing the host Patriots.
In another barn burner of a game, this time the visiting Mira Mesa Marauders stole one at the Ryan Center, 63-58. It was the “Three Musketeers” that led a faithful but failed attempt to sweep their league rival. Perez had 20 points, three three-pointers, 3-for-3 free throws, nine rebounds, 2 assists, and one steal, while Felice had 14 points, two three-pointers, 4-of-5 free throws, two rebounds, two assists, and a steal, and Provience had 10 total points, 4-of-5 free throws, 10 rebounds owning the boards, and a steal.
Once again this resilient group will forget about this one in the morning and prepare for their last regular-season game at Lincoln (12-14, 6-4 4th in the Eastern) on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Lincoln won big at the Ryan Center 65-46 last time they met.
