The Santa Rosa Warriors took the lead in the first quarter and never looked back as they took down the Rio Hondo Bobcats 65-50 Saturday afternoon at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo.
Santa Rosa only trailed 2-0 briefly in the first before ending the quarter on a 17-7 run sparked by steady scoring, full-court pressure and Rio Hondo turnovers.
While the Warriors turned in a solid performance all around, head coach Johnny Cipriano saw things his team, which boasts just four returning players from a year ago, can improve on.
“That’s the way we’re going to play because that’s the way we practice. However, I did think we came out very sluggish. To me, we looked rusty. I know what people see, but I know what I see, too,” said Cipriano.
“I think the chemistry isn’t there. I only returned four kids from last season and dressed 13 today— I still have decisions to make.”
The win improves Santa Rosa to 2-0 on the young season.
Rio Hondo struggled with the Santa Rosa press as the Cats had a difficult time just advancing the ball past half court.
Aside from that, the Warriors athleticism bothered the Bobcats in the post as the Warriors ability to rebound on both ends led to easy points.
Rio Hondo head coach J.R. Guzman will chalk it up to his team’s inexperience.
“We have one started back and no varsity experience right now. We play (Santa Rosa) every year. Today they outplayed us early and got the big lead,” Guzman said.
“We settled down and made the score respectable, but Santa Rosa beat us. It’s our inexperience, but I’m taking nothing away from Santa Rosa; they played good. We had missed shots and turnovers, while Santa Rosa played up-tempo ball with pressure defense.”
Santa Rosa’s press did not let up even when the game looked to be in hand and led by as many as 24 points late in the second half.
The Bobcats struggled to stop Santa Rosa sophomore Leo Lara early on as he scored nine first-quarter points.
Lara added just 10 more points the next three quarters, but double-digit days from Abie Losoya and Matt Garcia, paired with solid shooting from the field as a team, kept the Warriors momentum going.
“I’ve never created an offense for one individual, but that’s the beauty of it all. If the defense is going to focus on one guy, you hope that the others will make you pay the price and that’s what I think happened here today,” Cipriano said.
Lara finished the night with 19 points; Losoya added 16 and Garcia pitched in 10 to lead the Warriors.
For Rio Hondo, Reece Ortega led the way with 14, while Henry Rangel posted 10 points.