By Ernie Gonzalez — Executive Editor
It shouldn’t have even went into OT.
Ummm … yes, obviously that’s a slanted opinion.
Here is some context. Senior guard Fieme’a Hafoka was more open than an open sign when the ball found her with 4.8 left on the game clock tied at 72.
The shot barely hit the rim. In fact, it ricochetted right back to her. Head coach Jamie Craighead said she should have chased the basketball.
“We missed far too many shots that were wide open, Craighead said postgame. “What was frustrating is that she should have rebounded it as well.”
Never is a game decided on just one play, or one player. Especially in team sports.
The Bulldogs kept Ayzhiana Basallo in check for the first 15 minutes of the game.
She hit her first of five 3-pointers with 4:51 remaining in the second quarter, but back to my point: How would it be fair for blaming Basallo for not scoring enough, especially when she’s just 80 percent healthy coming off that ankle injury?
Speaking of injuries and scoring, Spartan forward Tyra Whitehead put up numbers only one other SJSU women’s basketball player has ever finished with. Then she went down.
Whitehead started 2020 at home with a ridiculous 22-point, 20-rebound performance before injuring her right ankle, falling down on the exact same spot Basallo did 21 days ago.
“We just had to keep it together … and fight through it,” forward Cydni Lewis said postgame.
But what was key about Whitehead’s monster game is that big time players shine in big time games. This was a game with all the poker chips on the table. A game that meant more to San Jose State than it did to Fresno State, given both squad’s recent history.
Fresno State is one of the taller teams in the conference while SJSU is one of the smallest. Obviously Whitehead isn’t, but for her to go absolute berserk the way she did and for SJSU to now lose her for the foreseeable future, her loss will definitely leave a dent. The same way the Spartans couldn’t win two non-conference games against two mediocre teams in Hawaii without Basallo.
Let’s return to talking about this game though. SJSU led 35 of the 45 minutes. Halfway through the first quarter until halfway through the fourth quarter, the Spartans were hovering around a 10-point lead.
Then, when it mattered the most, the shots forgot to fall. SJSU shot 5-15 in the fourth quarter and 2-9 in the overtime period. And when you blend that with a bit of turnovers, it’s a recipe for defeat.
The same run the Spartans had in the first quarter, the Bulldogs had in the fourth. The game flipped and it did so in a snap. 85-76 read the scoreboard after the final buzzer.
A reminder though: It’s not the end of the world so don’t complain. Yes, this one will sting. But it shows how much a healthy SJSU team can compete against some Mountain West regulators. SJSU is now 6-1 at home and 3-1 in conference. And that’s not bad. At all.
Eight games fall between now and the next time the Spartans and Bulldogs meet again on the hardwood. I can almost guarantee the Spartans already have that game circled on the calendar.
Until then, the Spartans need to continue to start fast and aggressive, learn how to hold a lead by avoiding missed opportunities and keep those fingers crossed that Whitehead can return soon.
Next on the schedule for the 9-5 Spartans is a trip to Reno to face the University of Nevada on Jan. 8.
Follow Ernie on Twitter @superego1012