Two weeks ago, there was a dearth of local sports activity, not only in Riverbank, but across most of the state, but last week, that gave way to a flurry of action on local fields and courts.
The Bruin varsity boys basketball team spent a lot of its time on the home hardwoods, while the Lady Bruin varsity got in a special home game before taking on a tournament over the weekend.
Varsity Boys Basketball
On Tuesday, Nov. 27, the Bruins hosted a round of victorious hoop contests against the visiting Hawks of Delhi, with the varsity team posting a convincing 75-29 win, while the JV team finished on top, 46-34, and the freshmen managed a 60-20 victory.
Next up for the varsity and JV teams was the Ron Peterson Tip-Off Tournament, the true sign that local basketball is underway in Riverbank, stretching from Thursday through Saturday, finishing up the busy week.
The host varsity Bruins lost their first round game to McNair of Stockton, 64-53, on Nov. 29. That put them up against Summerville High School, from Tuolumne County, on Friday, where they won a close game, 49-43.
Riverbank then played for fifth place in the tournament on Saturday. The Bruins led the Titans from Aspire Langston Hughes Academy in Stockton by a close 26-22 score at halftime.
In the second half, the varsity boys easily pulled ahead, holding the Titans to just three points in the third frame, then rolling to a 71-31 victory for that fifth place prize.
The JV teams were competing in their own version of the tournament in the Bruin gym, beating Delhi 46-34 on Thursday, losing to McNair 61-51 on Friday, then losing to Summerville, 61-51.
Boys basketball won’t return to the home court until Dec. 18, when they take on Hilmar.
Lady Bruin Basketball
The varsity girls basketball team hosted a non-scheduled non-league game against Sierra High School from Manteca on Wednesday, Nov. 28. It was added to make up for the lost games from the week before because of the smoke from the Camp Fire in Northern California that made air quality dangerous through the week.
The Lady Bruins fell 74-33 to the Lady Timberwolves, then traveled to Merced to compete for three days in the Golden Valley High School tournament there.
Unfortunately, the girls fell, 55-25, to Beyer High School from Modesto, on Thursday, then 68-23 to Mariposa County on Friday, and 64-27 to Ceres on Saturday. They aren’t scheduled to play at home again until Dec. 20.
Bruin Soccer
On Monday, Nov. 26, the varsity boys soccer team went down to a 4-0 loss to the visiting Tigers from Patterson. They closed out their week, fighting for a 2-2 tie at Beyer High School in Modesto on Thursday.
They were scheduled to take on McNair High in Stockton on Dec. 5 but don’t have another home game slated until Tuesday, Dec. 18.
Lady Bruin Soccer
No girls soccer scores have not been reported, but they’re scheduled to host McNair from Stockton on Dec. 5, for their first full home match of the 2018-19 season.
