Foothill Defeats Sacramento City 92-79 on December 17, 2024

Foothill emerged victorious over Sacramento City, winning 92-79 on December 17, 2024, at Foothill College. Despite a strong first-half effort from the Panthers, Foothill's depth and balanced offense carried them to a decisive win in the second half.

First Half: Foothill Builds a Lead
Foothill dominated the opening half, taking a 51-38 lead into halftime. Wyatt Sparling and Will Ambidge led the charge, combining for 32 points in the first two quarters. Sparling contributed 8 points and 10 rebounds, while Ambidge added 16 points. The Foothill offense was efficient, shooting 47.1% from the field, and they were solid from the free-throw line (8-8, 100%).

Sacramento City struggled with its shooting in the first half, converting only 38% of their shots from the field. Sidney Duplessis kept the Panthers within striking distance with 9 points, while Exander Irving-Romero chipped in 11 points off the bench. However, the Panthers faced difficulties with turnovers (10) and were unable to capitalize on their scoring opportunities, trailing by 13 at the break.

Second Half: Foothill Pulls Away
Sacramento City showed resilience in the second half, outscoring Foothill 41-41, but it wasn't enough to overcome the significant gap from the first half. Duplessis had a strong showing, finishing with 30 points, including 5 three-pointers, but Foothill's offense remained too potent.

The Owls' offense was powered by Axel Castrejon, who added 18 points and 5 rebounds, and Shaunak Ayalasomayajula, who contributed 12 points off the bench, going 4-5 from beyond the arc. Foothill's 47.1% shooting for the game was crucial in maintaining their lead throughout the second half. Despite some late efforts by Sacramento City, including a solid 11-point performance from Irving-Romero, the Panthers were unable to close the gap.

Key Performances
Foothill:

• Wyatt Sparling: 16 points, 12 rebounds
• Axel Castrejon: 18 points, 5 rebounds
• Will Ambidge: 16 points, 10 rebounds
• Shaunak Ayalasomayajula: 12 points (4-5 3P)

Sacramento City:

• Sidney Duplessis: 30 points (5-12 3P)
• Exander Irving-Romero: 11 points
• Jayden Ferreira: 9 points, 4 rebounds

Team Stats
Foothill:

• 33-70 (47.1% FG), 7-17 (41.2% 3P), 19-30 (63.3% FT)

Sacramento City:

• 25-64 (39.1% FG), 8-29 (27.6% 3P), 22-30 (73.3% FT)