LATHROP — Gurveen Bal hit a 3-pointer in the middle of a 14-0 second-quarter run to give the Lathrop girls basketball team the lead for good in a 34-31 win over Chavez-Stockton on Monday.
“We were down by a lot in the second quarter,” Bal said. “But after that 3-pointer we had the lead the rest of the way.
“We played good defense for most of the game.”
The Titans’ last basket of the second quarter gave Chavez (0-4) a 15-11 lead. That’s when Lathrop (2-5) went on its run. Delicia Higares scored all of her seven points during that 14-point spurt.
“We took our time and made good passes in our fast-breaks during that run,” Higares said. “We got the ball out to the wing, shot it, made it. It was just a good run.”
Higares, Bal and Danya Phillips (nine rebounds) shared high-point honors for the Spartans with seven apiece. Terrina Phillips added six steals as Lathrop forced 28 turnovers.
The Spartans led 32-23 after three quarters and won despite just two points in the fourth period.
“We were struggling to run our offense in the fourth quarter,” Lathrop coach Dwayne Davis said. “There was too much 1-on-1 basketball and we were in a hurry to take shots that were not there.”
There are just three seniors on the Lathrop roster, and Davis believes their youth was an issue late.
“That is attributed to how young we are,” Davis said of the fourth-quarter drought. “But if they understand and show the patience, we can get any shot we want because we have the speed to be able to do it.
“They have to learn to be patient and that it is not just one pass and shoot.”
Chavez’s Danyelle Thompson led all scorers with 15 points.
East Union 57, Modesto 31
In Modesto, East Union nearly lapped the Panthers en route to its second double-digit road win of the season. The Lancers are now 4-0.
Sophomore
Lathrop 41, Chavez 19
Sheila Martilien scored 16 points and Imani Williams eight for the Spartans.
Freshmen
Lathrop 58, Chavez 27
Three Spartans reached double figures with Lyani Thornton scoring 19 points, Simajunique Steen 14 and Reylene Curull 13.
East Union 36, Modesto 18
In Modesto, Vonika Pok and Gicell Garcia combined for 15 points as East Union improved to 5-1.
