Etiwanda lets its defense do the talkin’ in Modesto

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I love reading the excuses from the Modesto Christian boys’ basketball coach after the Crusaders were stuck in first gear from start to finish Saturday night against Etiwanda in the championship game of their own tournament.

Not even their home-grown refs could save them from this 60-52 loss.

‘We didn’t play our best tonight,’’ said Modesto Christian Coach Gary Porter.

Is that because you were out-coached by Dave Kleckner, one of the best basketball minds the Southern Section has to offer?

‘Maybe we spent ourselves after the semifinal win,’’ Porter added.

As in mentally spent, from watching the Eagles’ relentless man-to-man defense snuff out Sacramento, 49-47, in the other semifinal?

Etiwanda, a team full of juniors and one senior transfer, apparently had no problem running its record to 15-0 against a team that features a Pac-10 bound shooting guard and one of the top junior power forwards in the nation.

At least the Crusaders broke 50 points; none of Etiwanda’s other tournament foes managed to reach that mark.

I’m figuring all of Etiwanda has reason to smile now.

-- Dan Arritt