STOCKTON — Josh Dilg is a jack of all trades for Weston Ranch.
In the first half of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III quarterfinal tilt with visiting No. 9 El Camino of Sacramento on Friday, Dilg drew two key charging fouls and pulled down four rebounds.
The Cougars senior ended the third quarter on a 3-pointer via an assist from Jaelen Ragsdale and took an assist from Fred Lavender for another 3-pointer to start the final period as part of a 12-0 run on the way to a 73-59 win for Weston Ranch and a berth in the CIF State Regional Championships with a regional game on Wednesday, March 9.
“I try to do whatever I can,” Dilg said. “Hustle back and get charges – do whatever I can for my team.
“They were kind of leaving me open out there so I try and stay ready to shoot and fortunately I knocked some down.”
The top-seeded Cougars (25-4) squandered a 10-point lead early in the second quarter to trail by two at halftime. The game saw eight lead changes and four ties.
“We had multiple breakdowns in the beginning,” Weston Ranch coach Chris Teevan said. “They had nine offensive rebounds in the first half. They were a good team.
“We are not going to play our best every single game and there are going to be tough games and tough, stressful moments going forward.”
One player who appears unfazed by those tough, stressful moments is Cougars point guard Jaelen Ragsdale (19 points, three steals). Ragsdale scored eight points in the fourth quarter and was instrumental in moving the ball up and down the floor and working the Weston Ranch offense.
“We took off the gas a little but in the first half,” Ragsdale said. “I have been playing point guard my whole life so the passing comes natural and I trust these guys to make shots.”
D’Angelo Finley was a force at both ends of the floor for Weston Ranch, notching 19 points and 10 rebounds.
“We just kept playing basketball the way we do and the shots finally fell,” Finley said. “They put up a fight but we work on being consistent.
“We work on late-game situations and we turned it up at the end.”
Fred Lavender chipped in 17 points, seven rebounds, four steals and two assists for the Cougars and Dilg finished with 13 points.
Sawyer Concklin led the Eagles with 15 points behind four 3-pointers, hitting three from behind the arc in the first period.
The Cougars will face Placer in a semifinal contest Wednesday at Galt High School with the time to be determined.