Gregori catches fire, wins big on Day 2 of the Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Classic
The Gregori High boys basketball team couldn’t miss on Tuesday afternoon.
It started with one three. Then another, and another. Before you knew it, the first quarter was over and Gregori had hit six threes and had a 23-8 lead.
The Jaguars had the Patriots’ defense scrambling. Smooth, crisp passes along the perimeter and penetration in the key to create shots for open shooters served as the team’s catalyst. They connected on 13 three-pointers to run away with a 71-49 win over Beyer.
“We wanted to get a lot of paint touches,” said Gregori coach Ryan Green. “We didn’t want to take quick shots. We didn’t want to get in a shooting contest. I thought we had good ball movement.”
Gregori’s 5-9 record doesn’t reflect its talent. Senior guard Kobe Nunes returned to the the Jaguar lineup and his do-it-all style of play has helped him make an immediate impact. Nunes finished with seven points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Kyle Monk continues to serve as a steady offensive force for the Jaguars. The 6-foot-2 senior scored a team-high 30 points and knocked down six threes in the game.
Green has seen his team take its defensive effort to another level, which has shown in its record as the Jags have won three of their last four games.
“The last couple games, our defense has stepped up,” Green said. “I told these guys, the better our defense is, the more our offense is going to be successful.”
The Patriots (6-6) didn’t have enough to keep up with the onslaught of deep-range shots.
Senior Gio Primofiore finished with a team-high 18 points. Joseph Richmond and Jamal Davis each finished with eight.
Beyer will search for its first win of the tournament against Bullard of Fresno on Wednesday at 10 a.m .
As for the Jaguars, they will hope their improved defense can lead to more hot shooting against Manteca High on Wednesday at noon.
“We’ve been taking pride in on ball defense ... and making sure the other team doesn’t get a second-chance opportunity. If we can limit those, we’re going to put ourselves in a position to be successful.”
