TRACY — Bad news first: Lathrop High’s girls basketball team dropped its seventh straight game Wednesday, losing 41-30 to Patterson in Day 3 of the Tom Hawkins/Tracy Breakfast Lions Tournament at West High.
The good news: Help is on the way, and the Spartans (2-8) showed coach Ed Fang flashes of better things to come.
Returning post player Erica Sanchez was cleared to play Wednesday after missing a month of action with a separated and fractured collarbone.
A lack of size has been an issue for Lathrop all season, and that has especially hampered the Spartans in this tournament. On Wednesday, Sanchez’s experience and scrappiness were sorely needed against Patterson’s 6-foot-2 center Dani Hansen and 5-10 freshman forward Dayna Hansen, who had 10 points. Dani Hansen’s presence was more noticeable on the defensive end. In the fourth quarter alone, she swatted away five shots.
“That’s been our problem; we just can’t match up physically,” Fang said. “Our girls are quick and smart, we just get beat in the post every game that we play.
“Having Erica Sanchez back will be huge.”
Lathrop guard Jasmine Elder shared game-high scoring honors with Patterson’s Stephanie Cantu, pumping in 13 points.
In the first half, Patterson made Lathrop pay for packing in its defense in an attempt to take the Tigers’ posts players out of the game early. Shantel Perez (9 points) hit two 3-pointers and Sierra Santos added one to keep Lathrop honest.
Patterson sat on a 29-19 cushion at halftime. Lathrop got no closer than a six-point deficit in the second half, but execution matched effort on both ends of the court over the final two periods.
“We were able to press them pretty good, and that forced them into some turnovers and kept the ball away from their big girl,” Fang said. “We were at least able to run some of our offense, which we hadn’t been doing, so I’m very pleased with that. The girls showed a lot of resiliency by not giving up.”
Lathrop closes the tournament and its non-league schedule in the fifth-place game today at noon. The Spartans will face the loser of Wednesday’s Brookside Christian-Napa game.
The Buffaloes overcame tournament co-host West’s size advantage by employing their pesky full-court press and running out to a 51-20 halftime lead.
Chico State-bound Sharon Washington led all scorers with 20 points, Tia Tuuga added 19 and Mikayla Hasal had 10. Analisa Green scored 12 for the Wolf Pack (7-7), which previously lost to Manteca, 59-42.
Manteca will lock up with the winner of the El Camino-Modesto semifinal game in tonight’s championship-round showdown. The title match tips off at 7:30 p.m. at Tracy High.
Briona Fontenot poured in 15 points for the Lancers, while Lexy Posz fired 14. Shalane Jackson contributed 10 points in the blowout.
East Union wraps up tournament action at 4:30 today.
The good news: Help is on the way, and the Spartans (2-8) showed coach Ed Fang flashes of better things to come.
Returning post player Erica Sanchez was cleared to play Wednesday after missing a month of action with a separated and fractured collarbone.
A lack of size has been an issue for Lathrop all season, and that has especially hampered the Spartans in this tournament. On Wednesday, Sanchez’s experience and scrappiness were sorely needed against Patterson’s 6-foot-2 center Dani Hansen and 5-10 freshman forward Dayna Hansen, who had 10 points. Dani Hansen’s presence was more noticeable on the defensive end. In the fourth quarter alone, she swatted away five shots.
“That’s been our problem; we just can’t match up physically,” Fang said. “Our girls are quick and smart, we just get beat in the post every game that we play.
“Having Erica Sanchez back will be huge.”
Lathrop guard Jasmine Elder shared game-high scoring honors with Patterson’s Stephanie Cantu, pumping in 13 points.
In the first half, Patterson made Lathrop pay for packing in its defense in an attempt to take the Tigers’ posts players out of the game early. Shantel Perez (9 points) hit two 3-pointers and Sierra Santos added one to keep Lathrop honest.
Patterson sat on a 29-19 cushion at halftime. Lathrop got no closer than a six-point deficit in the second half, but execution matched effort on both ends of the court over the final two periods.
“We were able to press them pretty good, and that forced them into some turnovers and kept the ball away from their big girl,” Fang said. “We were at least able to run some of our offense, which we hadn’t been doing, so I’m very pleased with that. The girls showed a lot of resiliency by not giving up.”
Lathrop closes the tournament and its non-league schedule in the fifth-place game today at noon. The Spartans will face the loser of Wednesday’s Brookside Christian-Napa game.
Manteca 70, West 28
For the second straight night, Manteca (9-1) enforced a running clock in the fourth quarter. The Buffaloes overcame tournament co-host West’s size advantage by employing their pesky full-court press and running out to a 51-20 halftime lead.
Chico State-bound Sharon Washington led all scorers with 20 points, Tia Tuuga added 19 and Mikayla Hasal had 10. Analisa Green scored 12 for the Wolf Pack (7-7), which previously lost to Manteca, 59-42.
Manteca will lock up with the winner of the El Camino-Modesto semifinal game in tonight’s championship-round showdown. The title match tips off at 7:30 p.m. at Tracy High.
East Union 55, Tracy 27
The Lancers (7-3) mounted a 16-3 first-quarter lead and never looked back en route to today’s fifth-place matchup with either Edison of Stockton or Foothill of Palo Cedro.Briona Fontenot poured in 15 points for the Lancers, while Lexy Posz fired 14. Shalane Jackson contributed 10 points in the blowout.
East Union wraps up tournament action at 4:30 today.
