Sierra battled host Manteca valiantly for two quarters Thursday night, trailing the Buffaloes by just three points at halftime before Manteca exploded on a 9-2 run to start the second half on the way to a 67-42 Valley Oak League win at Winter Gym.
“I felt like we could have played a little better in the second quarter,” Manteca coach Brett Lewis said. “We kind of let the rivalry get to us a little bit, but in the third quarter we played defense like we should have the whole game and really, really made a statement there.
“I am proud of our guys for stepping up and answering that call.”
Domonick Victor gave home crowd something to cheer about when he launched a three-quarter court buzzer-beater at the end of the first period to spot the Buffaloes (6-3 VOL, 17-8 overall) to a 19-14 lead. Victor earned high-point honors with 17 while grabbing 12 rebounds.
“I’m usually close to the rim in the paint,” Victor said. “In eighth grade I used to practice that and get yelled at to get in the paint, but tonight I let it fly and it felt good right when I let it go.
“In the second half we got unselfish and just pulled away. We moved the ball and got easy shots and from there we just took off.”
Jordan Burciaga (four rebounds) and Jorge Cedano (five rebounds, three assists) each had 13 points for Manteca, and Miguel Sequeira chipped in nine points and six assists. Burciaga matched Victor with seven points in the first quarter.
“We executed the ball really well swinging it from corner to corner,” Burciaga said. “We got the shots we wanted and pretty much they fell.
“That’s what we have been looking for all season and hopefully we can do that in the playoffs.”
Kendrick Currey paced the Timberwolves (3-7, 15-9) with 14 points followed by Ryan Borgeson with 12 points and John Elijah with 10 points and seven rebounds.
“We ask a lot of Kendrick and he gives us a lot,” Sierra assistant coach Leo Griggs said. “There is pressure on him every night. Typically, we have him guard the other team’s best perimeter player.
“We expect him to get us into our offense and we asked a lot of him tonight, but unfortunately we came up short.”
The Buffaloes travel to Tracy to face Kimball at 3 Saturday afternoon, while Sierra hosts Central Catholic on Tuesday night at 7.
 
Junior varsity
Manteca 39, Sierra 28
Khalid Robinson led the Buffaloes with 13 points and Jake Wirstlin added 12.
Christian Threadgill scored seven points for the Timberwolves.