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Manteca, RC routed in final day of MC Holiday Classic
Pleasant Valley-Manteca boys basketball
Manteca’s Ramesh Kabiri (r) drives on Pleasant Valley’s Aiden Pearsall-Morgan. - photo by DAVE CAMPBELL

MODESTO —Evani Gaeta drained a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the first half Friday to give Manteca a two-point lead in the consolation final of the Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Classic.

The Buffaloes did not lead again.

They went cold in the second half and managed to score just 10 points the rest of the way. as reigning Division III state champion Pleasant Valley came back to run away with the 58-38 win.

“We had a great first half,” Buffaloes coach Jason Hitt said. “The main guys got tired and missed a lot of layups in the second half. We scored six points in the third and four in the fourth and that’s not going to get it done.

“That’s the difference in consistently scoring and not. Yesterday, we did a great job all the way through four quarters and today we did a great job for two.”

Noah Lyons scored six points for Manteca (11-4) in the first quarter and along with Gaeta (four rebounds) led the Buffaloes with 10 points apiece.

Luke Kremer led the Vikings (14-3) of Chico with 14 points.

The Buffaloes travel to Tracy today to take on the Bulldogs at 7 p.m.

 

Seventh place

Weston Ranch 81, Ripon Christian 51

With the Knights (8-7) already depleted by injury, they lost another starter Thursday and ran out of gas against the Cougars (2-8) who went 10 deep the

Ripon Christian-Weston Ranch boys basketball
Ripon Christian’s Jace Biedleman shoots over Weston Ranch’s Elijah Mobley. - photo by DAVE CAMPBELL
whole game, substituting freely throughout the contest. Leading by just eight after three quarters, Weston Ranch outscored Ripon Christian 29-7 in the final period.

“I think we stayed with a lot of good team for most of the games,” Knights coach Mark Hofman said. “I think we got a lot better. I think our level of play will rise from playing these better teams. I’m actually very happy.”

Eli Terpsma led Ripon Christian with 17 points and posted a double-double with 10 rebounds, but it was big man Jace Beidleman (13 points, five rebounds) who gave the Knights something to cheer about in that dismal fourth quarter.

Having seen his team’s eight-point deficit balloon to 19 with 5:17 left in the game, the 6-foot-7 junior got the ball on the wing, dribbled once and skied to the basket, slamming the ball through the rim for a resounding dunk.

“I would rate that in the top 10 all-time RC dunks,” Hofman said. “He put it down with authority.

“Jace is going to get better and better as the season goes on, as we get some practices in and get comfortable with each other. I’m looking forward to league.”

Elijah Mobley scored 14 points for the Cougars in the fourth quarter and led all scorers with 27 points.

Ripon Christian opens the Trans-Valley League schedule Friday at home against Escalon at 7 p.m.