It was as close as it could get Monday night when Pitman High’s girls basketball team hosted Turlock Christian High. The Pride controlled most of the game but with 1:00 left in regulation the score was tied, 40-40, as the two teams engaged in a back and forth battle for the win.
The deciding blows were dealt by TC’s Halie Bergman who nailed a three point shot and pair of free throws in the final moments of the game, giving the Eagles a 46-40 win over Pitman.
Bergman finished the night with 19 points, 10 of which were scored in the fourth quarter, and was the Eagle’s greatest asset on the court despite dealing with injuries.
“We were kind of getting beat up but we came back with our A game in the fourth quarter and won it,” Bergman said.
The game began much like it ended; with back and forth play between the two teams. By the end of the first quarter the Pride and Eagles were tied. Pitman took advantage of a sluggish TC team in the second quarter, holding the Eagles to only five points and heading into halftime with a lead of 23-15.
“We struggled quite a bit because they were really tired,” TC’s head coach Edwin Santiago said. “We had just finished a tournament, a very physical tournament.”
Pitman maintained their lead after halftime, executing their game plan and playing tough defense. The Pride allowed the Eagles to remain within a few shots of taking the lead though and as the game entered the fourth quarter Pitman’s offense began to falter.
“You can’t go 2/19 from three… A lot had to do with us having a horrible shooting night,” Pitman’s head coach Keith Larsen said. “They made some shots and we didn’t, it’s that simple.”
TC trailed by only three points as the game entered the fourth quarter and worked quickly to close the gap against a Pitman team that was determined to stop them. There were four fourth quarter ties before Bergman sealed the victory with 42 seconds left in the game.
“We were never in control of that game until there was two minutes left,” Santiago said.
“Live for the fourth quarter,” Bergman said. “That’s part of the game and that’s where you either win or you lose. You just have to step up.”
To contact Frankie Tovar, e-mail ftovar@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.
