After rallying back from a 32-16 halftime deficit, the Cate boys basketball team couldn’t put away Frontier League rival Foothill Tech, eventually losing 61-50.
Foothill Tech scored 21 points in the fourth quarter after the Rams (5-3, 1-1) had pulled within one point at the end of the third quarter.
“Our goal at halftime was to get consecutive stops and convert,” explained Cate coach Andrew Gil.
The game plan worked, at least briefly, as Cate outscored Foothill Tech 23-8 in the third quarter.
The Rams took their first lead of the game early in the fourth on a driving layup by Mason Mackall, who finished the game with 17 points and eight rebounds.
The Dragons responded with back-to-back threes to take a five-point lead, and held on the rest of the way.
Cate struggled from the free-throw line, making only 9 of 23.
Marko Pliso added 16 points for the Rams, who host Fillmore this Friday.
— Noozhawk sports reporter Christian Eckert can be reached at ceckert@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports and @noozhawk. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.