The Manteca High boys varsity basketball squad had several advantages over Lathrop on Wednesday.
“We had a big edge in size,” said Buffaloes coach Dave Asuncion after his team’s 63-49 Valley Oak League victory at Winter Gymnasium.
Spartans coach J.J. Ramirez added, “The bottom line is that (Manteca) has a lot more experience (than Lathrop).”
His team came in with a defensive plan of smothering Buffaloes’ 6-foot-5 senior forward E.J. Godfrey, who was coming off a 37-game effort at Weston Ranch.
He’s averaging 19.5 points per game.
“We didn’t take in consideration of him hitting those ‘3s,’” Ramirez said.
Godfrey scored 20 of his game-high 23 points in the first half. Included were four treys along with his 8-of-10 shooting from the field.
“He was feeling it early on,” said Asuncion, who would prefer to keep it under wraps that his top scorer is more than just a post player.
Manteca (2-1, 5-9) jumped out to an early lead. Ben Odell opened up the scoring with a quick two and 3 pointer.
Godfrey suddenly warmed up from the outside, canning a pair of treys to boost the Buffaloes’ early advantage, 16-5.
Godfrey’s fourth trey early in the second period gave Manteca a 26-7 lead. Odell and Matt Mueller joined in, adding 3s of their own to make it 36-11.
The Buffaloes also controlled the boards. They outrebounded Lathrop (0-3, 1-10), 34-16.
Mueller led the way with seven boards. Odell and Ryan Culpepper both had five.
Down 40-14 at the intermission, the Spartans had a better showing in the second half.
Andrew Kovanis opened the third with a trey. Ricky Chavez chipped in with a 3 while Eric Davis completed a three-point play.
Marcus Conley picked up the scoring slack in the fourth, hitting a pair of treys. His free throws coupled with the ones by Alex Pineda and Chavez helped the Spartans whittle Manteca’s once 28-point lead down 14.
“We had a big edge in size,” said Buffaloes coach Dave Asuncion after his team’s 63-49 Valley Oak League victory at Winter Gymnasium.
Spartans coach J.J. Ramirez added, “The bottom line is that (Manteca) has a lot more experience (than Lathrop).”
His team came in with a defensive plan of smothering Buffaloes’ 6-foot-5 senior forward E.J. Godfrey, who was coming off a 37-game effort at Weston Ranch.
He’s averaging 19.5 points per game.
“We didn’t take in consideration of him hitting those ‘3s,’” Ramirez said.
Godfrey scored 20 of his game-high 23 points in the first half. Included were four treys along with his 8-of-10 shooting from the field.
“He was feeling it early on,” said Asuncion, who would prefer to keep it under wraps that his top scorer is more than just a post player.
Manteca (2-1, 5-9) jumped out to an early lead. Ben Odell opened up the scoring with a quick two and 3 pointer.
Godfrey suddenly warmed up from the outside, canning a pair of treys to boost the Buffaloes’ early advantage, 16-5.
Godfrey’s fourth trey early in the second period gave Manteca a 26-7 lead. Odell and Matt Mueller joined in, adding 3s of their own to make it 36-11.
The Buffaloes also controlled the boards. They outrebounded Lathrop (0-3, 1-10), 34-16.
Mueller led the way with seven boards. Odell and Ryan Culpepper both had five.
Down 40-14 at the intermission, the Spartans had a better showing in the second half.
Andrew Kovanis opened the third with a trey. Ricky Chavez chipped in with a 3 while Eric Davis completed a three-point play.
Marcus Conley picked up the scoring slack in the fourth, hitting a pair of treys. His free throws coupled with the ones by Alex Pineda and Chavez helped the Spartans whittle Manteca’s once 28-point lead down 14.
