MODESTO — The Sierra girls basketball team went on a 12-0 run to start the game with tournament host Downey on Thursday night and never looked back in a 71-21 running-clock win in the second-round of the Downey tournament at Lyle Iverson Gym.

Meanwhile, Ripon Christian had a hard time getting on track offensively in a 41-21 loss to Trans-Valley League foe Sonora.

The Timberwolves (4-3) held the Knights (4-7) to single digits in each quarter

“I thought we started off strong,” Sierra coach Rudy Valencia said. “These girls worked really hard in the offseason, and we added some new coaches and have implemented a new system. I think we are further along at this point than I have seen us in the four years I have been here.

“We always talk about the non-negotiables: We want to take care of the ball, defend at a high level and make sure we rebound.”

Isabellah Crabb led the way for the Timberwolves with 25 points, five assists, four steals and two rebounds.

“It was a great team win,” Crabb said. “We put in so much work in the offseason.

“I think we deserved this win, because we have been working so hard.”

Emalina Latu chipped in 18 points, five rebounds and five steals.

“I think we worked really hard together and had really good ball movement,” Latu said. We didn’t come out selfish and we made our shots.

“We did what we were supposed to do like how we practice.”

Noora Prabhnoor Kaur added nine points for Sierra which rounds up the tournament today against Tracy at 4:30 p.m.

After battling with the Wildcats (2-4) in the second quarter to keep the game close with Sonora leading 22-13 at halftime, the Knights could manage just two third-quarter points.

“We knew they were bigger than us so our focus this game was to be the more physical team, especially in the paint,” Ripon Christian coach Connor Kennedy said. “And we did not do that.

“There were possessions where we scrapped and boxed out hard but there were other possessions where we let them be the more physical team.”

Rhian Heuvel led the Knights with seven points, while teammate Annika Jung grabbed 12 rebounds.

“With our size, our goal is to rebound as a team,” Kennedy said. “Five players boxing out, and five players crashingm and whoever is the recipient of that rebound is because the rest of her team did their job boxing out and crashing.

“Jung is just a great rebounder.”

Ripon Christian plays Merced today at 6 p.m.