Late 3 spree rescues Ripon from collapse against RC

The Ripon High School boys basketball team never lost confidence in the 3-point shot, even as the misses mounted and a 19-point lead evaporated.

The Indians just kept firing, rediscovering their touch in time to avoid an epic collapse Friday evening.

Aaron Paschini, Cole Stevens and Noah Hernandez knocked down 3s on consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter as the Indians pulled away from Ripon Christian 67-57.

“The 3-pointer is what does it for us,” Ripon coach Rod Wright said. “We can live with a lot of the 3s that went up because they were in rhythm.”

The Indians (16-4, 5-0 Trans-Valley League) have won six straight games and maintained a one-game advantage over Hilmar (12-7, 4-1) in the TVL.

Meanwhile, Ripon Christian (10-8, 1-4) continues to slide backward. The defending TVL champion has lost five of six and finds itself four games behind the Indians.

Ripon hosts Hilmar on Tuesday, completing the first round of league play.

“It’s upside down,” Wright said. “It’s really weird. I figured Hughson (11-7, 0-5) and RC would be near the top and we’d be at the top, and everybody else would be fighting.”

Friday’s game featured dramatic swings. The Indians grabbed early control with a 14-2 run to close the first quarter and led 40-28 at the intermission.

Hernandez was the difference maker, scoring 16 of his team-high 23 points in the first half. He scored most of his points going to the basket, challenging Ripon Christian’s towering post.

“Ripon likes to run,” Ripon Christian coach Mark Hofman said. “They’re fast and athletic. You saw what happens when they run the court.”

The Indians stretched the lead to 50-31 with a 10-3 blitz to start the third quarter but let off the gas.

The Knights saw their opportunity and turned to a three-headed monster on the low block – 6-foot-6 senior Ty Beidleman, 6-6 junior Andrew Vander Weide and 6-8 junior Jacob Vander Hoek.

“It’s just the game of basketball. I know it’s hard not to stare at the scoreboard, but every play is one play,” Hofman said. “They are mature enough to know we could come back. They’ve done it before. We were right there.”

Ripon Christian cut the deficit to 50-46 with a 15-0 charge. Vander Weide scored after an offensive rebound, Beidleman finished through contact, and Vander Hoek nailed a turnaround in the lane.

That pressure down low freed Jadon Vander Molen (seven points) for a 3-pointer from the wing. Zach Cortright (10 points) made it 50-42 after three quarters, stripping Stevens in the open court and racing away for the layup.

When Beidleman threw down a one-handed dunk to make it 50-46 with 6:45 remaining, momentum belonged to Ripon Christian.

“That’s what we want to do – get it in the post, get it in the post. When we do, we’re pretty successful,” Hofman said. “When we don’t and we turn it over, well, you saw what happened.”

Vander Weide and Beidleman each had double-doubles for the Knights, whose title defense has been undermined by turnovers and youth. Vander Weide had 19 points and 15 rebounds, including seven off the offensive glass. Beidleman scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half. Six of his 10 rebounds extended offensive possessions.

“Once they got going, it was like, ‘OK, how do we stop them?’ ” Wright said. “We became complacent and started shooting 3s.”

Hernandez blamed tired legs. The break-neck speed with which the Indians played for 2 1/2 quarters finally took its toll. Ripon went more than four minutes without a point.

Wright felt his team settled for the 3, but it was a barrage of 3-pointers that ultimately rescued Ripon.

“I thought we got kind of tired,” Hernandez said. “But we came back into it and got the win.”

Paschini and Stevens found space in the corner for back-to-back treys, and on the next trip down, Hernandez set up five feet behind the line.

“They had missed a bunch of shots, but they’re good enough that they’re bound to hit a couple of shots,” Hofman said. “That’s what put them over.”

With the Ripon student section begging for one more 3, Hernandez obliged, casting a deep shot. He caught and fired in rhythm, and the ball never touched the rim.

Ripon led 63-54 with under three minutes to play. Unable to match 3s, Ripon Christian couldn’t close the gap fast enough.

“Shooters shoot,” said Hernandez, a senior excelling in his first season in a Ripon jersey. He sat out his junior year after transferring from Modesto Christian. “When we share the ball and things are going right, I feel like we’re one of the best teams around.”

Four players scored in double figures for the Indians, the Stanislaus District’s top-ranked small-school team. Paschini had 12, Stevens scored seven of his 11 in the fourth quarter, and center Vincent Olmo had 10 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

Wright was pleased with Olmo’s fight and production while bumping bodies with Beidleman, Vander Weide and Vander Hoek.

“Every game has gotten better,” Wright said of the 6-foot-7 sophomore. “It’s taken half a season to get him to this point, and this was the best game he’s played. Those were 10 very productive points.”

This story was originally published January 20, 2017 at 10:53 PM with the headline "Late 3 spree rescues Ripon from collapse against RC."