Tigers' basketball season ends as old nemesis Garces pounds out a 77-60 victory

A year ago the Rams beat Lemoore again in the playoffs. On Thursday, Lemoore felt the brunt of the Bakersfield school again, dropping their Division II playoff game 77-60 to end the Tigers’ season.

Garces will face Monache High School on Tuesday in the semi-finals of the Central Section playoffs.

The Tigers were never really out of the game until the final minutes when Garces outscored Lemoore 22-10 in the final period. Take away a poor opening quarter in which the Rams took a big lead 23-10 and Lemoore managed to keep pace with the Rams.

Garces’ top player, Rashad Jackson proved why he is one of the best players in the Central Section by scoring 26 points against the Tigers. He came in to the game averaging nearly 21 points per contest. Sheldon Croney chipped in with 19 points for the Rams.

Lemoore got 19 points from Lemoore’s all-league player C.J. Johnson. Allen Perryman poured in 14 points while Erick Perry finished with 12.

Lemoore finishes with a solid 17-12 record. Garces improved to 20-9 on the year.

The Tigers were within five points after three quarters 55-50, erasing a 10-point Garces lead with just a couple of minutes left in the third. But led by Jackson and Croney, Garces took over in the fourth, jumping to a 65-53 lead midway through the final period.

From there the Tigers couldn’t overcome the deficit and felt the sting of yet another loss to Garces.