When the cat is away, the mice will play. Unfortunately for El Dorado of Placerville, the cat came back.
With host Manteca leading the 12th-seeded Cougars by 14 points at halftime, the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoff game seemed well in hand for the Buffaloes. That was, until the No. 5 Buffaloes standout post Loretta Kakala was forced to the bench early in the third quarter.
With nobody to shut down Samantha Klinkenborg underneath, Klinkenborg scored eight points in the third period while El Dorado went on a 13-0 run in the quarter to draw within two points. The game remained close until Kakala returned early in the fourth period to jump start Manteca into a 6-0 run on the way to a 58-47 win at Winter Gymnasium.
After Kakala re-entered the game with 6:42 left in the Cougars (13-15) managed just nine points while Kakala scored eight of her 14 points in the final period.
“We were excited for this game,” Kakala said. “We have had some players missing from practice, and we ended up playing better than expected.”
Kakala was not the only one with a monster fourth period for the Buffaloes (19-9). Sydnee Fryer had eight of her 18 points in the quarter and was instrumental in moving the ball around and working the offense.
“We knew after that third quarter that it wasn’t over,” Fryer said. “We knew that we needed to come out and work as a team and put them away.”
One of the reasons for the nice halftime cushion for Manteca was the post play of Aryana Martinez (nine points, six rebounds.) Martinez scored the last six points of the first half – two off of a beautiful pass from Kakala – to put the Buffaloes ahead 34-20 at intermission.
Manteca coach Mary Ann Tolbert knew that her halftime lead was not secure.
“They were not going to just roll over and give us the win,” Tolbert said. “They worked hard and were determined to fight for their season not to end, too. I give that team a lot of credit.”
Fryer (nine rebounds, three assists, three steals) shared high-point honors with Klinkenborg at 18. Klinkenborg had 19 rebounds, two steals and two blocks and teammate Faith Wilson (nine rebounds) added 16 points.
The next Buffaloes contest will be a quarterfinal tilt on the road in Sacramento against No. 4 Inderkum on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.