Isabellah Crabb grabbed the loose ball off the opening tip-off won by teammate Emalina Latu and quickly advanced it to the left wing.
She didn’t hesitate to launch a 3-pointer.
Bang.
The Sierra senior was just getting started.
That was the first of five 3s she hit in the first quarter alone, sparking the Timberwolves’ electric start to a 59-28 revenge win over visiting intra-city rival Manteca on Thursday.
Crabb ended up scoring 19 of her game-high 26 points in the opening period and nailed six 3s overall. The points total was two shy off her season best, and she didn’t even play in the fourth quarter with the Timberwolves (6-4 Valley Oak League, 13-11 overall) comfortably ahead, 55-21.
“For me, when I see my first shot go in, I just use it as motivation,” Crabb said. “Really, I’m just thankful to my teammates for giving me the opportunities. They’re the ones who pass me the ball for the open shot. That’s one of the first times I came out and hit that many shots like that. That was just crazy.”
She added that the frustrating 50-47 at Manteca just three weeks prior gave her team extra incentive to come into the game fully locked in. Revenge aside, there was much riding on the game for Sierra with two tough opponents ahead in the final week of the regular season. The T’wolves are trying to hold off Patterson, their next opponent, for third place in the VOL, which earns them an automatic berth to the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. They’re also on pace for a top-eight seed.
“It was nice to see them come together and do it — it was a great team win,” Sierra coach Rudy Valencia said. “It feels like we’re clicking, and that’s why I feel really good about our chances of making a little run this year. We just have to keep this going, because since I’ve been coach, I’ve never had a home playoff game and we’re right there.”
Latu flashed her all-around ability, ending with 19 points, 13 rebounds, five steals and four assists. Fellow sophomore Felisa Cruz-Olenhouse added eight points, Noora Prabhnoor Kaur grabbed eight rebounds off the bench and Tessa Zalunardo collected six steals.
“We’ve been telling Emalina all year that she could have her way in this league,” Valencia said. “As a sophomore, she can do it all, she just has to have the confidence to go out and do it.”
Manteca (2-8, 10-16) was paced by Na’ima Calderon’s eight points and nine rebounds. The Buffaloes were competitive in the second half, but the damage had already been done.
Sierra scored the first 12 points of the game and didn’t relinquish momentum until it built its insurmountable lead in the second half. In fact, the Buffs were nearly shut out in the second quarter, but freshman point guard Savannah Ramirez made a layup off a crossover dribble with 7 seconds left in the half.
Sierra was ahead 41-10 at halftime.
“They wanted it more, and we came out super flat,” Manteca coach Oscar Calix said. “We gotta figure out a way to play four quarters.”
Manteca hosts Mountain House next Tuesday, while the Timberwolves travel to Patterson.
Junior varsity
Manteca 34, Sierra 26
A 13-5 third quarter was the difference for Manteca, which was led by Jill DeCosta Aldape’s 16 points. Sadie DeCosta Aldape pitched in with seven points.
Ekam Khehra netted eight points for Sierra.
