Saxon Train Keeps Rollin’

A big performance by Taylor Kamitomo helps to boost Ferris over Central Valley once again

By Ryan Minnerly

Central Valley simply had no answer to the Saxons in Tuesday’s game at Ferris. The game was certainly not a blow out of epic proportions. However, Ferris handled the game to the point that the visiting Bears could do nothing more than make a dent in the consistent Ferris lead. The Bears trailed by some 10 to 12 points on average throughout the course of the game and could not bring themselves within less than 6 points of the Scarlet and Silver. A big fourth quarter for Ferris not only created an unmanageable situation for their opponents, but also extended their point advantage to nearly twenty and clinched the game. This triumph over the Bears marks the sixth straight victory for the Saxons.

Ferris’ Riley Stockton won the opening tip to begin the game. This was just the beginning for Stockton, as he went on to have a double-double for his team, scoring 18 points and racking in 10 rebounds. After getting the tip, Ferris wasted no time in acquiring their advantage on the scoreboard. They went to work on both ends of the court and came out of the first quarter with a 16-8 lead. The second quarter of play was another success, as Ferris outscored the visiting Bears 17-13 and went into halftime with a 33-21 lead. The Saxons were capable of maintaining a sturdy lead throughout the course of the game, which was comforting to the home crowd. Ferris was outscored in just one of the four quarters (the third, by two points), and despite that they continued to preserve their precious lead. After halftime, the Saxons, led by Kamitomo, went to work once more. An aggravated player for the visiting Bears was given a technical foul after demonstrating his frustration following a Saxon score. This only aided the already-thriving Ferris cause. The scoreboard read 48-38 at the conclusion of the third quarter. From then on, the game carried on as it had all night – that is, Ferris was thriving off dominant post play (they only made two three-point buckets collectively), and CV persisted in their efforts to mount a comeback, but to no avail. By the conclusion of the game, the Saxons had built themselves a comfortable lead. They scored 21 points in the fourth quarter (CV scored just 12), leading to the final score of 69-50.

The Saxons were very thankful to have the big man down low. Kamitomo not only put up a game-high 23 points, but also brought down 12 rebounds. These double-double performances surely make the Saxons happy to have the 6’3” big man back. Taylor joined Riley as the two Saxons who had double-doubles in the contest with the Bears. However, they were not the only good performers in Tuesday’s game. Senior Connor Halliday scored 10 points from the field and tacked on 6 of his 9 attempted free throws for a total of 16 points. In all, Ferris tried 26 free throws, converting on 15 of them. Although this is not the most mind-blowing free throw conversion percentage, the Saxons still had the advantage. Their visiting opponents attempted just seven free throws throughout the entire game (converting on four of them). Though Ferris made just 57 percent of their free throws, they still nearly quadrupled the amount of free throws taken and made by their opponent. This goes to show how much the Saxons took the ball to the basket or looked down low to one of their centers, namely Kamitomo. Points in the paint were perhaps one of the biggest factors in this win for Ferris, because it certainly wasn’t a flourishing perimeter game. Saxon sophomores Chris Wilson and Chase Haack nailed one three apiece, and each had a total of four points. These two long-distance buckets were the only two of that nature for Ferris in this game. Though it isn’t typical that Wilson is not among the game’s top scorers, Ferris was happy to see that it had other go-to guys that could put points on the board.

The next opponent for Ferris should prove to be more worthy. The Saxons will square off with the Mead Panthers on Friday night. In their last meeting, Ferris outlasted the Panthers in a home game, winning by a mere six points. This time, the game will be played out in Panther territory. Mead is currently ranked second in the GSL as they hold a record of 7-1 in league, with their only league loss being to the Saxons in their last encounter. The Saxons (6-2 in league) are in fourth in the GSL. This is a big game for both parties, but especially for Ferris as they look to climb the league ranks. Best of luck guys!