RIPON — Ripon Christian’s girls basketball team may have lost do-it-all forward Kelsey Tillema to graduation, but the Knights have gained depth.
That depth was displayed in their 52-24 rout of old Trans Valley League rival Escalon Thursday at home. All 10 players scored for RC, which notched its sixth straight win and improved to 7-1.
Last week, returning junior forward Mikaela Alger was named the Most Valuable Player after RC claimed the Lady Huskies Tournament in Hughson, but on Thursday she wasn’t needed to score much.
Reserve forward Mikayla Manus scored nine of her game-high 11 points, and Raeann De Rousse contributed eight. Sophomore Kayle Colyn had seven points, five steals and four assists.
Alger was limited to six points but pulled down 12 rebounds to go with six steals.
“We’re pretty confident right now,” Manus said. “We work really well together, we get along great and it just makes us a better team.
“This year we don’t have one star on this team — everybody can do something.”
It is that offensive balance that first-year head coach Ed Mulder has been able to exploit. On Thursday, Ripon Christian, a much-improved perimeter shooting team, was able to work the inside-out game against Escalon’s zone and man-to-man defenses.
But in the opening quarter, it was defense and rebounding that sparked the offense. Colyn rebounded a miss off the offensive glass and took two steps and a quick dribble backwards to drop in a 3-pointer that represented the game’s first points.
The rest was left up to its pressure halfcourt defense that caused the majority of Escalon’s 11 first-quarter turnovers. Manus drained a 3-pointer and scored on a put-back for Ripon Christian’s final points in the opening period, which ended with the Knights well ahead, 16-2.
Ripon Christian forced 24 turnovers overall and held a commanding 44-28 rebounding advantage.
“We’re rebounding and playing defense — that’s the key,” Mulder said. “We’re just getting better and better every game.
“We’ve got a young team that only has three seniors, but everybody plays a lot.”
Ami Hood scored 10 points to lead Escalon (3-7). Center Caitlin Brooks added seven points, six rebounds and five blocked shots.
Freshman Tia Tuuga poured in 17 points, Sharon Washington contributed 12 and Mikayla Hasal had 10.
Manteca next squares off with Atwater today at 6 p.m. in the round-robin tournament.
Woodcreek shot out to a 21-8 lead and didn’t allow the Spartans to reach double-digit scoring in any quarter.
Andrew Kouvanis led Lathrop — which next faces Del Oro or Inderkum at 5 today — with nine points.
That depth was displayed in their 52-24 rout of old Trans Valley League rival Escalon Thursday at home. All 10 players scored for RC, which notched its sixth straight win and improved to 7-1.
Last week, returning junior forward Mikaela Alger was named the Most Valuable Player after RC claimed the Lady Huskies Tournament in Hughson, but on Thursday she wasn’t needed to score much.
Reserve forward Mikayla Manus scored nine of her game-high 11 points, and Raeann De Rousse contributed eight. Sophomore Kayle Colyn had seven points, five steals and four assists.
Alger was limited to six points but pulled down 12 rebounds to go with six steals.
“We’re pretty confident right now,” Manus said. “We work really well together, we get along great and it just makes us a better team.
“This year we don’t have one star on this team — everybody can do something.”
It is that offensive balance that first-year head coach Ed Mulder has been able to exploit. On Thursday, Ripon Christian, a much-improved perimeter shooting team, was able to work the inside-out game against Escalon’s zone and man-to-man defenses.
But in the opening quarter, it was defense and rebounding that sparked the offense. Colyn rebounded a miss off the offensive glass and took two steps and a quick dribble backwards to drop in a 3-pointer that represented the game’s first points.
The rest was left up to its pressure halfcourt defense that caused the majority of Escalon’s 11 first-quarter turnovers. Manus drained a 3-pointer and scored on a put-back for Ripon Christian’s final points in the opening period, which ended with the Knights well ahead, 16-2.
Ripon Christian forced 24 turnovers overall and held a commanding 44-28 rebounding advantage.
“We’re rebounding and playing defense — that’s the key,” Mulder said. “We’re just getting better and better every game.
“We’ve got a young team that only has three seniors, but everybody plays a lot.”
Ami Hood scored 10 points to lead Escalon (3-7). Center Caitlin Brooks added seven points, six rebounds and five blocked shots.
Ceres Tournament
Manteca 54, Bret Harte 28
The Buffaloes (4-0) continued their hot streak to start the season, winning their fourth straight by a double-digit margin in the first round of the Ceres Lion’s Club Tournament.Manteca 54, Bret Harte 28
Freshman Tia Tuuga poured in 17 points, Sharon Washington contributed 12 and Mikayla Hasal had 10.
Manteca next squares off with Atwater today at 6 p.m. in the round-robin tournament.
Rocklin Tournament (boys)
Woodcreek 69, Lathrop 34
Just two days after posting its first varsity win in program history, Lathrop (1-3) was pitted against powerful Woodcreek (9-1) of Roseville in the first-round of the Rocklin Holiday Tournament.Woodcreek 69, Lathrop 34
Woodcreek shot out to a 21-8 lead and didn’t allow the Spartans to reach double-digit scoring in any quarter.
Andrew Kouvanis led Lathrop — which next faces Del Oro or Inderkum at 5 today — with nine points.
