Gar-Field didn’t exactly start off hot out of the gate in its season-opening Tip-Off Tournament contest versus Rock Ridge Thursday night. Rock Ridge star Mekhi Motilewa was cutting through the Red Wolves’ defense like butter, and Gar-Field trailed 17-8 with three minutes still left in the first quarter.
Then Motilewa went to the bench with a second foul, and things turned. The Red Wolves woke up, going on an 11-0 run to end the first quarter. Motilewa came back in the game but by then Gar-Field was rolling, locked in on offense and defense. The result was a 66-51 victory, which sent the Red Wolves into the championship of the tournament Friday night versus Mountain View.
“I think once we calmed down–first game jitters, trying to swing for fences on the first pitch so to speak–once they settled down and rotated defensively like we were supposed to instead of ball-watching, things started to pick up for us,” said Gar-Field coach Jason Bell.
The improved defense was certainly key to the victory, as Bell’s team only gave up 18 points in the next 19 game minutes after giving up 17 in the first five. So was running their offense efficiently no matter who was in the game. All 10 Gar-Field players who got in the game registered assists, and the Red Wolves’ bench scored almost as many points as the starters.
Gar-Field junior forward Elijah Williams led the way with 15 points, 13 of which came in the first half. Sophomore guard Jonathan Bell had 14 points, six rebounds, and six assists, and the coach’s son ran the offense efficiently, especially in the second half.
Good one here as Gar-Field boys lead Rock Ridge at half, 32-24. Phoenix was up 17-8, but a second foul on Mekhi Motilewa gave the Red Wolves momentum. Junior Elijah Walden has 13 for Gar-Field, and Jonathan Bell is heating up. Below he finds Marcus Hamlin…(superior ball… pic.twitter.com/ZeURQxcxWR
— Novahoops.com (@novahoopsCom) December 6, 2024
Senior forward Nasir Johnson added 10 points, freshman guard Jason Bell, the other coach’s son, had nine points, and junior forward Marcus Hamlin had eight, all off the bench. The Red Wolves (1-0) might need the bench to again perform well Friday night in the tournament championship, as Williams left the game in the third quarter with injury and Jonathan Bell battled cramps in the second half.
“We play Thursday, Friday, Saturday,” said Bell. “Now a lot of these kids play AAU basketball, play same and next-day games…a lot of our kids are used to it. We’re up for the challenge–just gotta drink a lot of fluids.”
Some people are mentioning Bell’s deep team as a possible sleeper in the always-tough Cardinal District. The Red Wolves will have to start games better, but Coach Bell is optimistic.
“We just have to execute and do the little things,” he said. “I think the lights came on tonight and I don’t think we were as focused as we could have and should have been.”
Motilewa finished with 18 points for Rock Ridge (0-1).
all statistics are unofficial
| GAR-FIELD | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| Jonathan BELL | 5-16 | 3-4 | 14 | 6 | 6 | |
| T.WALDEN | 2-5 | 0-0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | |
| E.WALDEN | 5-8 | 3-4 | 15 | 4 | 1 | |
| AKADJE | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| MONGE-VENTURA | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Jason Bell | 3-8 | 1-2 | 9 | 0 | 1 | |
| Hamlin | 4-6 | 0-1 | 8 | 4 | 2 | |
| Johnson | 4-5 | 2-3 | 10 | 6 | 1 | |
| Norman | 2-3 | 0-0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | |
| Meade | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| TOTALS | 25-55 | 9-14 | 66 | 31 | 17 | |
| Threes: Elijah Walden 2-3, Jason Bell 2-5, Norman 1-1, Terry Walden 1-2, Jonathan Bell 1-6, Monge-Ventura 0-1, Akadje 0-1, Hamlin 0-1 | ||||||
| ROCK RIDGE | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| BECK | 3-8 | 0-0 | 8 | 3 | 4 | |
| MOTILEWA | 6-14 | 6-10 | 18 | 2 | 1 | |
| DONTHIREDDY | 3-5 | 0-0 | 8 | 6 | 1 | |
| BOUPHA | 5-7 | 0-2 | 12 | 8 | 4 | |
| KULKARNI | 2-10 | 0-0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | |
| Penn | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Chemoiwa | 0-4 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| Canfield | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Veneros | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 19-48 | 6-12 | 51 | 26 | 14 | |
| Threes: Donthireddy 2-3, Boupha 2-3, Beck 2-5, Kulkarni 1-9, Motilewa 0-1, Chemoiwa 0-2 | ||||||
MOUNTAIN VIEW 78, CHRIST CHAPEL 62
In the first game of the evening, Cooper Konetschni and the Wildcats (2-0) started the game on fire, racing to an 11-0 lead. Konetschni, a junior, had two three-pointers in that initial run and his team never looked back. He finished with a career-high 37 points.
“We played well tonight sharing the basketball,” said Mountain View Coach Justin Smith. “Chris Gordon made several big plays along with several big rebounds and we were able to use a deep bench.”
Coach Smith was happy with Konetschni and his team’s breakout win, but expressed there is much work to be done with his team.
“Much growth is needed, especially with a young team that lost 13 seniors.”
Aiden Lavoie added 12 points in the victory. Christ Chapel (1-1), which battled hard all game despite going down double digits quickly, will play Rock Ridge Friday night in the consolation game.
–Chris Jollay