After a tight first half, Pecs was able to pull away from 2200 Club and prevail 58-49 to secure their second win of the season. The victory surpassed Pecs’ win total from last season.

Both teams came out strong as Pecs won the jump, but 2200 Club made a quick steal and immediately drove hard for the basket. Two missed shots later, Pecs seized the ball on the rebound and made their own drive to score first, which they did thanks to a 2-point shot by Mona Valenzuela.

2200 Club’s Mario Marino answered in the next play and it was already a tied game after only a minute and a half of play. Both teams continued to answer each subsequent score with one of their own. The largest lead by either side was only 3 points during the entire first half.

Both teams struggled to pull ahead, without making any headway. The first-half play found both teams relying on good passes and controlled drives, but both teams would eventually falter and either give up fouls or rush the play. This resulted in turnovers, missed shots or free throws by the opposing team.

2200 Club and Pecs seemed pretty evenly matched throughout the first half as each played to their team strengths. 2200 Club capitalized on the fact that Pecs only had five players and no substitutes, forcing them to run hard throughout the half in an effort to tire them out. The game remained close during the entire first half. Pecs only held a slim 26-23 lead at halftime.

The second half of the game saw both teams come out strong again. Having recharged during halftime, Pecs had a slight advantage as 2200 Club missed shot after shot and eventually fell behind by 9 points.

During a drive by Pecs, a 2200 Club player managed to steal the ball mid-pass, reversed direction and drove for their basket, but failed to capitalize. Immediately thereafter, Pecs stole the ball with an intercepted pass by Chad Hermandorfer. He passed it to A.J. Matthews, who then managed to sink another basket for an 11-point Pecs lead, their largest lead of the game.

2200 Club managed to keep in step with Pecs, but was unable to close the gap. Each basket 2200 Club made, Pecs answered and added to their lead. Having established a lead at the beginning of the second half, Pecs did not want to let it slip away. It forced 2200 Club to play catch-up the rest of the half, but time was not on their side.

Pecs sits in a tie for third place with a 2-1 record, while 2200 Club remains winless at 0-3.

In one of the two other games that night, Urban Mo’s slipped past The Welch Group 45-40.

On a foul given up by Urban Mo’s, The Welch Group’s Elijah Cate made the first point of the game on the free throw. Jason Farr then hit a 3-point shot for the first actual basket of the game during their second drive.

The Welch Group then jumped out to a 4-point lead, but it was short-lived. Shortly thereafter, Urban Mo’s Brian Jackson sunk the first basket for his team. Both teams were playing a passing game, running the defenders back and forth and letting the open player take their shots.

The Welch Group was consistently hitting from the outside while Urban Mo’s predominately shot from under the basket. Both teams traded buckets back and forth and were tied throughout most of the first half. The score was tied at halftime at 21-21. It was still anyone’s game.

Both teams were feeling the heat as they returned in the second half. The game flip-flopped several times. The Welch Group scored a basket and then a free throw, while Urban Mo’s scored a 3-pointer to tie the game once more.

This see-sawing continued for the next 10 minutes in the half. During this time, Urban Mo’s scored one more basket, but The Welch Group scored an additional free throw to cut Urban Mo’s lead to 41-40 with barely two minutes left to play.

Urban Mo’s scored one additional basket to bring the score to 43-40. The Welch Group then gave up the last foul of the game and Urban Mo’s sank the last two free throws.

The two teams are now in a tie for fifth place for the season with 1-2 records.

In another Dec. 6 game, Morgan Stanley beat Beach City Market 45-37, while AAA Mortgage defeated Colorworks Painting 63-57. Both AAA Mortgage and Morgan Stanley remain at the top of the standings, each with 3-0 records.

The top five high scorers for the week were: Morgan Stanley’s Paul Demke and AAA Mortgage’s Larry Granville, both with 24 points; Farr with 22 points; Matthews with 19 points and Hermandorfer with 17 points.

All San Diego Hoops games are played at the Joan Kroc Center, located at 6845 University Ave., each Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

For more information about S.D. Hoops, visit their Web site at www.sdhoops.net.

Results from the Dec. 13 games will be published in the Dec. 21 edition of the Gay & Lesbian Times.