SACRAMENTO — In a game pitting two girls basketball teams that are near-mirror images of each other, it came down to which mounted the last big run in Thursday’s Sac-Joaquin Section Division-III quarterfinal between Manteca High and host Christian Brothers.
In the end, it was fourth-seeded Christian Brothers that delivered the knockout blow in the form of a 17-2 flurry over the final 3 minutes, 46 seconds, powering the Falcons to a 70-60 victory at Ron Limeberger Gym.
They earned a berth to NorCals and will next face No. 1-seeded Sacramento High in the section semifinals next Wednesday at Cosumnes River College.
“Everyone’s heart was in this, and it kills us to lose it,” said Manteca sophomore guard Mikayla Hasal, who contributed nine points and five assists. “It was a good game, we just fell apart at the end. That’s what hurts the most, was being in it the entire game and losing it at the end.”
The deciding push by Christian Brothers (21-8) countered Manteca’s own riveting 15-0 spurt.
Christian Brothers was on its way to closing the third quarter with a momentum-changing 10-0 run and a 53-43 lead, but in the final second Manteca’s Jaqi Gutierrez stole an inbounds pass and had the presence of mind to toss up a desperation 3-pointer.
She was fouled on the play and with no time left sank each of her three free throws.
“I just chucked it up and hoped to get the call,” said Gutierrez, who finished with 13 points. “I knew we needed those shots.”
The clutch free throws were what set up the fifth-seeded Buffaloes’ biggest outburst of the contest. Mariah Navarro opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer and Gutierrez later buried one of her own.
Freshman forward Tia Tuuga scored six of Manteca’s 12 unanswered points that started the final period, and Christian Brothers coach Ron Gully called a full timeout with 5:10 remaining to stop the bleeding.
Manteca was ahead 58-53, but not for long.
“We scrimmaged them in the preseason and won by two points,” Gully said. “They were very good then, and I told their coach I had a good feeling we were going to see them in the playoffs.
“We knew they were never out of it. This was a game that either team could have won.”
It was back and forth throughout until the end, as both teams took turns displaying their shared strengths of forcing mistakes with their press defenses and getting contributions up and down their stacked and youth-laden rosters.
Freshman Alicia Gonzalez produced 17 points and seven rebounds for Christian Brothers, while sophomore Ishiana Burch turned in 16 points, seven rebounds and four steals.
Tuuga’s 19 points paced Manteca (22-5). Standout guard Sharon Washington, heading to NCAA Division-II power Chico State next year, was limited to seven points but had six steals.
Center Dallas Mould (2 points, 8 boards), Gabby Escobedo and Navarro make up the rest of Manteca’s group of seniors.
“Of course I wanted to win, but I’m not all that sad because we lost,” Washington said. “I’m just sad because I love this team and my time is over with them. But I’m proud of how we did this year and making it to this point. It’s been a while since we’ve made it this far.”
Manteca captured its first Valley Oak League championship since 2000, which was also when the program last got past the first round of the playoffs. The Buffaloes won the section’s Division-III title that year.
This may not be the last we hear of Manteca, which returns outstanding underclassmen and juniors next season.
“I’ve got some pretty spectacular basketball players coming back, and they’re going to be around for a while,” Manteca coach Andrea Hiatt said. “They learned a lot from Sharon, and they can build off of what she’s done for our program the last four years.”
In the end, it was fourth-seeded Christian Brothers that delivered the knockout blow in the form of a 17-2 flurry over the final 3 minutes, 46 seconds, powering the Falcons to a 70-60 victory at Ron Limeberger Gym.
They earned a berth to NorCals and will next face No. 1-seeded Sacramento High in the section semifinals next Wednesday at Cosumnes River College.
“Everyone’s heart was in this, and it kills us to lose it,” said Manteca sophomore guard Mikayla Hasal, who contributed nine points and five assists. “It was a good game, we just fell apart at the end. That’s what hurts the most, was being in it the entire game and losing it at the end.”
The deciding push by Christian Brothers (21-8) countered Manteca’s own riveting 15-0 spurt.
Christian Brothers was on its way to closing the third quarter with a momentum-changing 10-0 run and a 53-43 lead, but in the final second Manteca’s Jaqi Gutierrez stole an inbounds pass and had the presence of mind to toss up a desperation 3-pointer.
She was fouled on the play and with no time left sank each of her three free throws.
“I just chucked it up and hoped to get the call,” said Gutierrez, who finished with 13 points. “I knew we needed those shots.”
The clutch free throws were what set up the fifth-seeded Buffaloes’ biggest outburst of the contest. Mariah Navarro opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer and Gutierrez later buried one of her own.
Freshman forward Tia Tuuga scored six of Manteca’s 12 unanswered points that started the final period, and Christian Brothers coach Ron Gully called a full timeout with 5:10 remaining to stop the bleeding.
Manteca was ahead 58-53, but not for long.
“We scrimmaged them in the preseason and won by two points,” Gully said. “They were very good then, and I told their coach I had a good feeling we were going to see them in the playoffs.
“We knew they were never out of it. This was a game that either team could have won.”
It was back and forth throughout until the end, as both teams took turns displaying their shared strengths of forcing mistakes with their press defenses and getting contributions up and down their stacked and youth-laden rosters.
Freshman Alicia Gonzalez produced 17 points and seven rebounds for Christian Brothers, while sophomore Ishiana Burch turned in 16 points, seven rebounds and four steals.
Tuuga’s 19 points paced Manteca (22-5). Standout guard Sharon Washington, heading to NCAA Division-II power Chico State next year, was limited to seven points but had six steals.
Center Dallas Mould (2 points, 8 boards), Gabby Escobedo and Navarro make up the rest of Manteca’s group of seniors.
“Of course I wanted to win, but I’m not all that sad because we lost,” Washington said. “I’m just sad because I love this team and my time is over with them. But I’m proud of how we did this year and making it to this point. It’s been a while since we’ve made it this far.”
Manteca captured its first Valley Oak League championship since 2000, which was also when the program last got past the first round of the playoffs. The Buffaloes won the section’s Division-III title that year.
This may not be the last we hear of Manteca, which returns outstanding underclassmen and juniors next season.
“I’ve got some pretty spectacular basketball players coming back, and they’re going to be around for a while,” Manteca coach Andrea Hiatt said. “They learned a lot from Sharon, and they can build off of what she’s done for our program the last four years.”
