Ripon Christian’s 10 points in the first quarter was the most that the visiting Knights would score in any one period Thursday night, as Ripon ran away with a 48-26 Trans-Valley League girls basketball victory.
“I think it was one of our better defensive nights tonight,” Indians coach Rick Inderbitzin said. “We have played some teams pretty tough for a half, and the second half of those games we found a way to somehow relax and give up some big points. Hopefully, we are going to figure that out.
“Tonight, we hit some outside shots, which we haven’t done in a while, and we did a nice job of playing together and coming together as a group. I am really proud of that.”
Ripon (2-3 TVL, 8-11 overall) hit six from beyond the arc, with Kailee Inderbitzin (nine points) setting the tone with three quick 3-pointers in the first quarter.
“I have never shot that many 3s in my life,” Kailee Inderbitzin said. “I wasn’t doing too good in warmups, but I just came out and got in the flow of the game.
“After that I started looking for the open player.”
The Indians’ Gabby Delgado dominated in the paint, just missing a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. Delgado was anxious to end her team’s four-game skid.
“The paint is my area,” Delgado said. “Coming off those four losses that were kind of rough on us we knew we had to get our groove back.
“I just really wanted it and I know a lot of my teammates wanted it. We dominated in the paint and hit a lot of shots from the outside and coming off of those four losses I think we really needed it.”
Ripon’s Vanessah Ponce led all scorers with 10 points behind a pair of 3-pointers.
“They shot the lights out,” Ripon Christian coach Mike Vander Molen said. “When we got whipped on Tuesday, we didn’t take care of the ball, and it was good to see us respond and take care of the ball better.
“There is nothing more frustrating than not getting our shots. We got our shots and we need to get better at them, but we did not beat ourselves.”
Laci Nydam led the Knights (0-4, 8-8) with nine points. Maddie Yonker added eight points and six rebounds and Reagan Van Der Hoek pulled down 11 rebounds.
Tonight at 7:30 the Indians host Livingston and Ripon Christian hosts Hughson.
Junior varsity
Ripon 17, Ripon Christian 16
Mikaela Oosterman and Savannah Hoekman scored six points apiece for the Indians.
Ava Vander Werff led the Knights with five points. Tatiana Perez added four points, four rebounds, four blocks and four steals with Giolanna Loretelli making four steals, three rebounds an assist and a block.
