BRENTWOOD — George Contente looked skyward with fingers crossed behind his neck — body language for “Go figure.”
In the game’s most crucial moment, his Ripon High girls basketball players did everything right except be at the right place at the right time against Weston Ranch Wednesday in the consolation semifinal round of the West Coast Jamboree’s 16-team Sapphire Division at Heritage High.
Weston Ranch led wire to wire and threatened to bust it wide open several times en route to winning, 48-41.
Ripon (8-3), to its credit, did well to stay in range despite sloppy play and ice cold shooting at the outset. But even when the Indians were in position to take a lead, there seemed to be some force of nature holding them back.
“Unfortunately, they got the better bounces and we didn’t,” Ripon coach George Contente said. “That’s how it went all game.”
Weston Ranch milked the clock while ahead 42-41 during a key possession in the final minute, and with the shot clock expiring the Cougars heaved a rushed jumper from the right corner.
The ball sailed over the hoop, but on the other side was April Seth, all alone to turn an air ball into an uncontested put-back with 21 seconds left.
Ripon quickly inbounded the ball as Weston Ranch (6-4) went to its press, but the outlet passer missed her intended target as the ball floated out of bounds.
The Indians would later put Weston Ranch’s two best players, Timnesha Wilson and Jazmin Strane, on the foul line with hopes of extending the game, and they nailed all four free throws to seal it.
Wilson finished with 16 points, and Strane had 12 points and six steals despite foul trouble.
“They’re a pretty good team, very athletic, and we struggled with that at the beginning,” Contente said. “We battled back, which was nice to see, but even after we were beating their pressure the lid was still on (the rim). The open shots were there, we just have to make those.”
While the ball did often take some uncooperative rolls off the rim for Ripon, Weston Ranch had much to do with its offensive woes. The scrappy Cougars created 14 of 23 turnovers in the first quarter and didn’t let Ripon attempt a shot until 2 minutes into the contest.
Rachel Rodriguez dropped in Ripon’s first bucket with 2:26 to go in the first quarter, but Weston Ranch was ahead, 8-2.
Rodriguez led Ripon with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
“We work on setting the tone defensively every single game,” Weston Ranch coach Chris Bauer said.
Ripon did its own damage defensively, forcing 34 turnovers while doing a better job of limiting its mistakes as the game went on.
Weston Ranch took its largest lead with 4:26 left in the third quarter, when Strane rattled in a jump shot from the top of the key to make it 21-10.
That was Ripon’s cue to make its charge. An 11-0 outburst to tie the score was capped by Megan Morais, who intercepted a pass and took it the other way for the coast-to-coast bucket at the 1:19 mark of the third.
It was a vulnerable stretch for Weston Ranch, which had its entire starting front court of Strane, Emoni Wilson (7 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals) and Jakia Richmond (7 points, 9 rebounds) either playing with or sidelined because of foul trouble.
“We had to make some adjustments (because) by the end of the third quarter most of my players had three or four fouls,” Bauer said. “The kids responded.”
Early in the fourth, Emoni Wilson hit two straight layups to punctuate an 8-0 barrage that made it, 36-25. But Ripon sophomore guard Ruth Waters kept her team alive, as she scored seven of her 11 points in the final period.
“It’s always competitive with them,” Bauer said. “Ripon is a very good team; we just made a few more than they did today.”
Weston Ranch tangles with the winner of Wednesday’s other consolation-bracket semifinal between Buchanan of Clovis and Sierra of Tollhouse today at 1:30 p.m. Ripon faces the loser for 11th place at noon.
In the game’s most crucial moment, his Ripon High girls basketball players did everything right except be at the right place at the right time against Weston Ranch Wednesday in the consolation semifinal round of the West Coast Jamboree’s 16-team Sapphire Division at Heritage High.
Weston Ranch led wire to wire and threatened to bust it wide open several times en route to winning, 48-41.
Ripon (8-3), to its credit, did well to stay in range despite sloppy play and ice cold shooting at the outset. But even when the Indians were in position to take a lead, there seemed to be some force of nature holding them back.
“Unfortunately, they got the better bounces and we didn’t,” Ripon coach George Contente said. “That’s how it went all game.”
Weston Ranch milked the clock while ahead 42-41 during a key possession in the final minute, and with the shot clock expiring the Cougars heaved a rushed jumper from the right corner.
The ball sailed over the hoop, but on the other side was April Seth, all alone to turn an air ball into an uncontested put-back with 21 seconds left.
Ripon quickly inbounded the ball as Weston Ranch (6-4) went to its press, but the outlet passer missed her intended target as the ball floated out of bounds.
The Indians would later put Weston Ranch’s two best players, Timnesha Wilson and Jazmin Strane, on the foul line with hopes of extending the game, and they nailed all four free throws to seal it.
Wilson finished with 16 points, and Strane had 12 points and six steals despite foul trouble.
“They’re a pretty good team, very athletic, and we struggled with that at the beginning,” Contente said. “We battled back, which was nice to see, but even after we were beating their pressure the lid was still on (the rim). The open shots were there, we just have to make those.”
While the ball did often take some uncooperative rolls off the rim for Ripon, Weston Ranch had much to do with its offensive woes. The scrappy Cougars created 14 of 23 turnovers in the first quarter and didn’t let Ripon attempt a shot until 2 minutes into the contest.
Rachel Rodriguez dropped in Ripon’s first bucket with 2:26 to go in the first quarter, but Weston Ranch was ahead, 8-2.
Rodriguez led Ripon with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
“We work on setting the tone defensively every single game,” Weston Ranch coach Chris Bauer said.
Ripon did its own damage defensively, forcing 34 turnovers while doing a better job of limiting its mistakes as the game went on.
Weston Ranch took its largest lead with 4:26 left in the third quarter, when Strane rattled in a jump shot from the top of the key to make it 21-10.
That was Ripon’s cue to make its charge. An 11-0 outburst to tie the score was capped by Megan Morais, who intercepted a pass and took it the other way for the coast-to-coast bucket at the 1:19 mark of the third.
It was a vulnerable stretch for Weston Ranch, which had its entire starting front court of Strane, Emoni Wilson (7 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals) and Jakia Richmond (7 points, 9 rebounds) either playing with or sidelined because of foul trouble.
“We had to make some adjustments (because) by the end of the third quarter most of my players had three or four fouls,” Bauer said. “The kids responded.”
Early in the fourth, Emoni Wilson hit two straight layups to punctuate an 8-0 barrage that made it, 36-25. But Ripon sophomore guard Ruth Waters kept her team alive, as she scored seven of her 11 points in the final period.
“It’s always competitive with them,” Bauer said. “Ripon is a very good team; we just made a few more than they did today.”
Weston Ranch tangles with the winner of Wednesday’s other consolation-bracket semifinal between Buchanan of Clovis and Sierra of Tollhouse today at 1:30 p.m. Ripon faces the loser for 11th place at noon.
