Boys Hoops: Bulldogs deal painful loss to Giants

With a lot more on the line, the sequel to Redwood vs. San Rafael was even more exciting than the last meeting.

From the opening sequence of Tuesday's boys basketball game, it was obvious these two teams were going to fight each other for every touch, every shot and every point. The fifth-seeded Bulldogs scrapped to a 52-48 victory over No. 4 Redwood in the quarterfinals of the Marin County Athletic League playoffs.

"San Rafael deserved to win tonight. They played a great game," Redwood coach Steve Compagno said.

"(The Bulldogs) have had experience in close games and that helped them tonight," San Rafael coach Tony Butler said.

The rivals started the fourth quarter tied 35-35, until San Rafael scored six consecutive points to take its biggest lead since it held a three-point edge in the opening minutes of the game. Redwood, which was raining down baskets earlier in the game, suddenly couldn't find the net through San Rafael's oppressive defense.

"We came out in the fourth quarter with more pressure. We knew what they could they do and we tried to stop them," said San Rafael's Bobby Conner, who scored 10 points.

Parker Shaw, the hero of San Rafael's nail-biting 58-56 victory over Redwood on Jan. 28, also had 10 points.

Maurice Coleman led Redwood with 13 points. Matt Merano was limited to 11 points and Kai Drewry 10.

"It's tough for the seniors to lose their last MCAL game," said Compagno, who has seven seniors on his roster, including Coleman and Drewry.

The game got off to a fast start, with shots going wild and both sides playing tough defense. Redwood tied the score at 4-4 after more than six minutes and emerged with a 12-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. Coleman hit back-to-back 3-pointers to spark the Giants (9-5 MCAL, 16-11 overall).

Redwood stretched its lead to as much as seven points early in the second quarter before San Rafael reeled the Giants back in. Redwood led 25-22 at halftime. The Giants couldn't shake off the Bulldogs after that.

"They made some adjustments in the second half and they played really hard," Compagno said of San Rafael. "Our guys never quit. The guys gave it their all. I can't fault their effort. This loss is my fault."

San Rafael (8-6 MCAL, 19-8 overall) will face San Marin at Redwood in Thursday's semifinal game at 7:30 p.m. San Marin was a 51-46 winner over Justin-Siena on Tuesday.

"It's going to be tough to sit here all week and watch someone else win the title on our court," said Compagno, who remained confident the Giants would return to the North Coast Section playoffs to defend their Division II crown.