RIVERBANK — Daniel Van De Pol scored 16 of his game-high 18 in the second half Friday night as Ripon Christian upended Riverbank for the second time this season, 55-50.
Up just 53-50 with nine seconds left, the Bruins fouled Van De Pol, and the RC guard completed his 5-of-5 clip at the charity stripe to ice it.
“Daniel was the difference for us tonight,” RC head coach Ron Vander Molen said. “He played his best game of the year for us. He had a lot of steals.”
But Van De Pol wasn’t alone.
Tyler Goslinga added 13 for the Knights (3-3 Trans Valley League, 12-10 overall), and David Vander Schaaf chipped in 11.
Ripon Christian jumped out to an 18-10 lead to start the contest, but the Bruins countered with a 14-6 second quarter.
The Knights took a 10-point lead into the final two minutes, but Riverbank threatened with a pair of 3-pointers before Van De Pol wrapped things up.
Ripon Christian heads to Escalon Tuesday.
Tip is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Sifuentes finished with 20 and turned a Cody Wengel and-one free-throw attempt into a four-point Ripon swing to put the Indians up 45-44 early in the fourth.
Mendel collected four pivotal steals in the final frame, and after a lengthy break in the third, Ratto came alive down the stretch, hitting two clutch free-throws in the waning moments and finishing with 12.
Ryan Alexander also had 12 and 10 rebounds.
“We couldn’t shoot the 3-pointer,” Wright said. “We were 1 of 13 tonight, and Hughson was 9 of 26.”
Zack Adams (5 3-pointers) scored 11 of his game-high 21 in the third.
“If Hughson had shot any better, they would have beaten us,” Wright said. “It’s tough to face a team you beat by 40. They came out wanting to win, and we weren’t in it emotionally.
“Mendel was huge for us, and Alexander stepped up. He had one post move and the rest of his points came off offensive rebounds.”
The win solidified Ripon’s hold on second-place in the TVL at 4-2, while Hughson slipped to 3-3.
The Indians moved to 13-10 overall.
Up just 53-50 with nine seconds left, the Bruins fouled Van De Pol, and the RC guard completed his 5-of-5 clip at the charity stripe to ice it.
“Daniel was the difference for us tonight,” RC head coach Ron Vander Molen said. “He played his best game of the year for us. He had a lot of steals.”
But Van De Pol wasn’t alone.
Tyler Goslinga added 13 for the Knights (3-3 Trans Valley League, 12-10 overall), and David Vander Schaaf chipped in 11.
Ripon Christian jumped out to an 18-10 lead to start the contest, but the Bruins countered with a 14-6 second quarter.
The Knights took a 10-point lead into the final two minutes, but Riverbank threatened with a pair of 3-pointers before Van De Pol wrapped things up.
Ripon Christian heads to Escalon Tuesday.
Tip is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Ripon 58, Hughson 53
Head coach Rod Wright saw the same sluggish Indians that were upset by RC on the court in Hughson Friday night, but fortunately Ripon, Efren Sifuentes and Matthew Ratto came alive down the stretch while Kyle Mendel put in overtime on the defensive end to hold off the long-range bombing Huskies in the win.Sifuentes finished with 20 and turned a Cody Wengel and-one free-throw attempt into a four-point Ripon swing to put the Indians up 45-44 early in the fourth.
Mendel collected four pivotal steals in the final frame, and after a lengthy break in the third, Ratto came alive down the stretch, hitting two clutch free-throws in the waning moments and finishing with 12.
Ryan Alexander also had 12 and 10 rebounds.
“We couldn’t shoot the 3-pointer,” Wright said. “We were 1 of 13 tonight, and Hughson was 9 of 26.”
Zack Adams (5 3-pointers) scored 11 of his game-high 21 in the third.
“If Hughson had shot any better, they would have beaten us,” Wright said. “It’s tough to face a team you beat by 40. They came out wanting to win, and we weren’t in it emotionally.
“Mendel was huge for us, and Alexander stepped up. He had one post move and the rest of his points came off offensive rebounds.”
The win solidified Ripon’s hold on second-place in the TVL at 4-2, while Hughson slipped to 3-3.
The Indians moved to 13-10 overall.
— Brandon Petersen
