This time the East Union boys basketball team finished what it started.
The Lancers took it to first-year varsity Gregori 66-40 at Beyer High Thursday, advancing to the consolation semifinal of the Modesto City Classic. It was a nice bounce-back effort for EU (1-1) after falling 58-52 to Johansen in the opening round.
Up next is the winner of the Beyer-Enochs contest at 6:30 tonight.
“After (Tuesday) night this could have been ugly,” said third-year coach Brett Lewis. “Yes, this is a game we were supposed to win, but for a first-year program they play really hard. I was worried about coming out flat and overconfident.
“We came out playing really well like we did last night and finished strong unlike last night.”
With T.J. Williams out with the flu, the Lancers were left with only nine available players. That mattered little, as all nine scored.
East Union jumped out to a 17-6 first-quarter lead and didn’t let up until the fourth quarter.
Brandon Cline led three players in double figures, as he nailed five 3-pointers for his 15 points. Sophomore forward Jake Danhoff fired 14 points and hauled down 10 rebounds, and Wayne Cheung rattled in10 points.
Justin Nieto added eight points and 10 boards while Alex Del Real turned in eight and seven, respectively. Brock Swift found other ways to contribute, handing out five assists while coming up with six steals.
“The guys really got after it today,” Lewis said. “Our four reserves played the entire fourth quarter and did well.”
Los Banos 44, Manteca 36
The Buffaloes (1-2) had trouble getting their shots to fall in their Modesto City Classic contest at Grace Davis High. Ben Odell accounted for Manteca’s two first-quarter points as Los Banos blew open a 13-2 lead.
Manteca did well to give itself a chance to win it late, closing to within a point before the Tigers dropped down clutch free throws to secure the win.
Taylor Hasal scored 11 points to lead the Buffs, who play again today at 3:30.
Cartwright Classic
Fairfield 62, Sierra 55
Sierra (0-1) was well tested in its first game of the season, as it was paired with the tournament’s defending champion at Elk Grove High Thursday. Up next is Folsom at 4 p.m. in the consolation bracket.
“It was a battle, they just made the plays at the end and we didn’t,” Sierra coach Scott Thomason said.
The Timberwolves held a double-digit lead in the first half and took a 28-26 advantage into halftime. Fairfield ran away with it at the end, however, using a 25-foot 3-pointer to go up by four with about a minute remaining. Sierra missed its final five free throws and committed crucial turnovers down the stretch.
Guillermo Nunez and Will Ward pumped in 13 points apiece for Sierra, while Emmanuel Elijah contributed 11. Tim Thornton buried three 3-pointers for his nine points.
Bronco Roundup
Bella Vista 70, Lathrop 46
It was a tale of two halves for the Spartans (1-1), who tangled with the tournament’s host team. They were outscored 37-11 in the first half but won the final two quarters, 35-33.
“And it was not because they were playing their second-string guys,” said Lathrop coach Bill Slikker, adding that Bella Vista runs with a platoon system to take advantage of its depth. “We just didn’t show up ready to play.”
Point guard Robert Orantes spearheaded the Spartans with 14 points, 10 coming in the second half. Ricky Chavez scored all 11 of his points over the final two periods.
Lathrop gets another tough challenge starting 5:30 today when it squares off with Yuba City.
Peterson Tip-Off
Ripon Christian 66, Summerville 40
At Riverbank High, Jon Vander Molen led RC’s 22-9 third-quarter run by sinking four 3-pointers and scoring 14 of his game-high 24 points in the period.
The Knights (1-0) finished with eight 3s as a team, with three more coming from point guard Dan Vos (17 points). Jared Goslinga got the team going early on, scoring 11 of the team’s 12 points in the first. He ended up with 13 points.
Ripon Christian takes on tourney host Riverbank at 8:30 tonight.
Sophomore
Manteca 55, Los Banos 37
T.J. Muhar led Manteca (2-1) in scoring for the second straight night, this time pouring in 16 points to go with nine rebounds.
The Buffaloes advanced to today’s winners-bracket semifinals in the Modesto City Classic.
