Zach Jarrard tries to score between two Norco defenders
By Tim Peterson
(Temple City) – Temple City was hit with three technical fouls resulting in six straight points with 37 seconds left and fell to Norco 72-64 Tuesday night.
Temple City erased a 14 point deficit in the fourth quarter to get even at 62 and it appeared the Rams had the momentum to carry them to the comeback victory. The Rams missed on a shot to put them up by two and then Norco was fouled on a driving lay-up at the other end.
TC Head Coach Eric Chin and assistant Rich Hollinger both protested the call and boos reigned down from stands. A fan directly behind the Temple City bench shouted an expletive and the official hit the Rams with a technical on the bench. Chin and Hollinger both vehemently argued that the profanity did not come the bench but from behind it. Chin was nailed for a second technical and when Hollinger didn’t immediately leave the court he was called for the third tech. Two free throws and six more on the three technicals and a 62-62 tie was suddenly 70-62 Norco. Game, set, match.
TC trailed 21-12 after one and 33-21 at halftime. The Rams were still down 50-37 at the end of three and 14 in the fourth. They finally made their push with a suffocating press that flustered Norco. A four point play by Brandon Trang tied it at 62 with 1:11 left. Then disaster struck.
Rich Hollinger led the Rams with 23 points. He also pulled down eight boards and had two steals. Tyler Api had 14 and seven and Zach Jarrard had 12 and added seven rebounds. Trang was also in double figures with 10 points.
Cesar Meza got Norco going early and finished with 17 points. He was 8 for 8 from the charity stripe and dished out seven assists. Tyler Wolowicz had 16 and 11 rebounds and Donovan Hayes-Whitehead added 13. Joey Hopper was the fourth Cougar in double figures with 10. Isaiah Cannon (cool name) had eight points and four boards.
Norco improved to 6-5 with the victory while Temple City dropped to 8-3. Next up for the Rams is Azusa December 26 at the San Gabriel Valley Classic.
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