SALIDA – The Ripon Christian varsity boys basketball team together a fight it can be proud of, but still came up on the short end of a 66-54 Trans Valley League contest against Modesto Christian Tuesday.
Ripon Christian (3-2 TVL, 16-4 overall)came within minutes of accomplishing the unthinkable, narrowing a constant Crusader lead to two points with six minutes to go in the contest. The Crusaders would go on a 14-4 run the rest of the way to remain undefeated in TVL play.
“I felt that we showed up and gave them a good game,” Ripon Christian head coach Ron Vander Molen said. “I thought we played them pretty tough; I’m proud of the way our guys hung in there.”
The Knights outscored Modesto Christian (5-0, 12-8) 20-14 in the third quarter, but cooled off tremendously in the fourth, matching their first quarter low-point total with nine.
Tyler Goslinga turned in a game-high 21 points to pace the Knights, while teammate Dan Van de Pol finished with 17. Logan Vos came off of his heroic effort against Ripon, finishing in double-digits with 11
“Modesto Christian plays a little bit different a style than we are used to,” Vander Molen said. “But I think we were able to play up to their level a little.
“That was something that I was encouraged by.”
The Knights will have to put the Modesto Christian loss behind them in a hurry as they prepare for a visit from the Riverbank Bruins Friday. Ripon Christian handled the Bruins 64-53 in the two programs’ last meeting, with Van de Pol leading all scorers with 19 points.
Ripon Christian (3-2 TVL, 16-4 overall)came within minutes of accomplishing the unthinkable, narrowing a constant Crusader lead to two points with six minutes to go in the contest. The Crusaders would go on a 14-4 run the rest of the way to remain undefeated in TVL play.
“I felt that we showed up and gave them a good game,” Ripon Christian head coach Ron Vander Molen said. “I thought we played them pretty tough; I’m proud of the way our guys hung in there.”
The Knights outscored Modesto Christian (5-0, 12-8) 20-14 in the third quarter, but cooled off tremendously in the fourth, matching their first quarter low-point total with nine.
Tyler Goslinga turned in a game-high 21 points to pace the Knights, while teammate Dan Van de Pol finished with 17. Logan Vos came off of his heroic effort against Ripon, finishing in double-digits with 11
“Modesto Christian plays a little bit different a style than we are used to,” Vander Molen said. “But I think we were able to play up to their level a little.
“That was something that I was encouraged by.”
The Knights will have to put the Modesto Christian loss behind them in a hurry as they prepare for a visit from the Riverbank Bruins Friday. Ripon Christian handled the Bruins 64-53 in the two programs’ last meeting, with Van de Pol leading all scorers with 19 points.
— Jagada Chambers
