Stuart Hall fine at the line in win over University

Stuart Hall used superior quickness and much-improved free-throw shooting to record a 72-59 Bay Counties League West home win over 17th-ranked University on Tuesday night.

Miles Amos, a high-flying 5-foot-11 sophomore guard, scored 23 of his personal-best 26 points in the second half and Sean Ingoglia added 20 for the Knights (16-5, 3-0), who moved into sole possession of first place in the league.

Amos hit two threes and added several fastbreak baskets, including a dunk, as Stuart Hall turned a 32-29 halftime deficit into a 13-point win.

“He’s a super-athletic kid who can really get to the cup,” said Stuart Hall head coach Charley Johnson, whose team lost in the North Coast Section and Northern California Division V championship games to eventual state champion St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda last year.

“I really believe coaching is overrated,” Johnson said. “At the end of the day, the players win the games.”

That said, Stuart Hall has had trouble from the foul line all season, making 60 percent of its attempts. On Tuesday, the Knights made 22 of 26 free-throw tries, including 13 of 15 in the second half.

“Considering all the work we’ve put into it, that’s very satisfying,” Johnson said.

University (19-2, 3-1) win streak was snapped at nine games despite 18 points from Spencer Spivy.

“Stuart Hall played well,” University coach Randy Bessolo said. “We went to a zone the second, (Amos) got hot and did a great job penetrating. … We’ve been telling the guys that prosperity is a terrible teacher. Now we get the opportunity to actually learn from adversity.”

#14 Heritage-Brentwood 62, #15 Freedom-Oakley 45: With what coach Pat Cruickshank called virtually a perfect second quarter, the host Patriots (17-2, 3-0 Bay Valley Athletic League) won handily behind 15 points from Anthony Dennis and 12 each by twins Tyriq and Tyrese Mack.

Up 13-9 after a sloppy first quarter, Heritage outscored Freedom 18-3 to take a 31-12 halftime lead. Freedom (13-5, 1-2), which got 18 points from Andrew Mork, did not get within 10.

Three-pointers off the bench from Jacob Williams and Alex Forkus, plus tenacious defense, keyed the second-quarter surge.

“It’s pretty simplistic, but we just took a stand at the defensive end,” Cruickshank said. “It’s been a real joy to coach this team thus far. I can’t say we saw this coming. If you would have told me at the start of the season we’d be 17-2, I would have asked what you were smoking.”