Curtin Scores 18, Branson Tops Redwood

Technically, Tuesday's meeting was a non-league affair. But it didn't feel like it.

Technically speaking, Tuesday night’s meeting between the Branson Bulls and Redwood Giants was a non-league contest.

But given the size of the crowd and the energy on the court, it felt like a playoff game.

Branson closed the first half on a 31-7 run, led by as much as 25 and cruised to a 66-45 win over the Giants, fueled by 18 points off the bench from senior guard Pierce Curtin.

Curtin’s breakout performance was no surprise to head coach Demetrius Roquemore, though.

“My expectations of him are to do what he did tonight,” the first-year head coach said. “I really got on Pierce this week about being more aggressive and showing more leadership. We had a real long talk yesterday.”

Curtin hit a 3-pointer to kickstart a 12-0 Branson run to close the first quarter, but he really made his impact after Joaquin Aguillon picked up his third foul midway through the second. Branson (5-1) closed the first half on a 12-2 run, with Curtin scoring seven of those points. His basket off a Jase Butler inbound pass to close the half gave the Bulls a commanding 36-18 lead.

“Jase, TT (Carr) and all my other teammates give me the opportunity to create for myself,” Curtin said.

Roquemore effectively starts three point guards, and even with Aguillon in foul trouble, Curtin gives him yet another ball-moving option.

“He’s a starter, but I like to bring him off the bench because of his senior leadership and his point guard capabilities,” Roquemore said. “With this team, I have seven starters.”

Curtin kept it going in the third quarter with a 3-pointer to put the Bulls up 21, then knocked down another in the fourth for good measure.

Conversely, Redwood (6-2) couldn’t buy a shot. The Giants shot just 13-of-55 (23.6%) from the field for the game and scored just 25 points across the first three quarters.

“We come up with our gameplans, but when you break it down, basketball’s a simple game,” head coach Jay DeMaestri said. “Whoever can put the ball through the hoop is most likely gonna win the game.”

After Brennan Woodley’s 3-pointer gave Redwood an early 11-5 lead, the Giants made just one more field goal for the entire first half.

"The guys I have out there shooting those shots, I want them shooting all of those shots. Can we go back and nitpick? Sure. But there were probably 10 of them that just rattled in and out, and that’s a millimeter miss,” DeMaestri added. “Shots stop going in, they get an explosive play, and then all of a sudden, it’s kind of a snowball effect.”

That explosive play came from Finley Keeffe, who scored just seven points on the night but threw down a pair of one-handed dunks in front of the Redwood student section. The first gave the Bulls a 14-11 lead, and the second made it 31-16.

“They slapped us in the mouth, and they showed us that right now, at this moment in time, they’re better than us,” DeMaestri said.

Carr finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Jase Butler, three days removed from being named MVP at the Gridley Invitational, had 10 points and eight rebounds.

Jake Vasquez led the Giants with 14 points, knocking down all eight of this free throws. Woodley finished with 10.

The teams will meet in MCAL play on Jan. 5 at College of Marin, Branson’s de facto home court.