A surprising one-point loss from Liberty Ranch High's varsity boys basketball team during Sierra Valley League play has all but locked up a top-two seed for Riverbank into the Division IV Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.
If Riverbank gets by a Hughson team they pushed into a running-clock and Liberty Ranch doesn't upset an undefeated Consumes Oaks team that beat them by 33 points the first time around, the Bruins will enter the postseason in terrific position to reach the D-IV finals at the Sacramento Kings' Sleep Train Arena.
Riverbank (21-2 overall, 9-1 TVL) was third behind Summerville (19-3, 10-0 Mother Lode League) and Liberty Ranch (17-7, 7-2) in the first release of the SJS power ratings, and should see a bump to No. 2 when second list is published this week.
The Bruins bested Orestimba 75-28 on Jan. 29, cruised past Hilmar 62-49 on Jan. 31 and defeated playoff-bound Ripon 65-55 a day later. The Bruins face host Modesto Christian (21-2, 9-0), but won't suffer much from a potential loss to a team ranked sixth in the state (D-III) by calhisports.com. Against Ripon, Rolaun Dunham scored 17 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter to give Riverbank all the separation it would need against the visiting Indians.
The Riverbank guard started the fourth quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers and then went 8-for-8 from the free-throw line as the Bruins improved to 8-1 in the Trans-Valley League. Riverbank outscored the Indians 21-11 over the final eight minutes.
"We went cold," Ripon coach Rod Wright said afterwards. "It was a very competitive game the whole time - until the last three minutes. We made three errors and those little breaks ... they took off. It was the Rolaun Dunham Show."
Riverbank clamped down on point guard Cole Herrin, forcing Ripon's supporting cast into a starring role. Herrin had 8, as Ripon slipped to 4-5 in TVL play and 9-15 overall.
Forced to foul, Wright and the Indians watched as Riverbank sealed the victory by knocking down all 11 of its last free throws.
The Bruins are at Hughson on Tuesday, Feb. 12 to close the season.
If Riverbank gets by a Hughson team they pushed into a running-clock and Liberty Ranch doesn't upset an undefeated Consumes Oaks team that beat them by 33 points the first time around, the Bruins will enter the postseason in terrific position to reach the D-IV finals at the Sacramento Kings' Sleep Train Arena.
Riverbank (21-2 overall, 9-1 TVL) was third behind Summerville (19-3, 10-0 Mother Lode League) and Liberty Ranch (17-7, 7-2) in the first release of the SJS power ratings, and should see a bump to No. 2 when second list is published this week.
The Bruins bested Orestimba 75-28 on Jan. 29, cruised past Hilmar 62-49 on Jan. 31 and defeated playoff-bound Ripon 65-55 a day later. The Bruins face host Modesto Christian (21-2, 9-0), but won't suffer much from a potential loss to a team ranked sixth in the state (D-III) by calhisports.com. Against Ripon, Rolaun Dunham scored 17 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter to give Riverbank all the separation it would need against the visiting Indians.
The Riverbank guard started the fourth quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers and then went 8-for-8 from the free-throw line as the Bruins improved to 8-1 in the Trans-Valley League. Riverbank outscored the Indians 21-11 over the final eight minutes.
"We went cold," Ripon coach Rod Wright said afterwards. "It was a very competitive game the whole time - until the last three minutes. We made three errors and those little breaks ... they took off. It was the Rolaun Dunham Show."
Riverbank clamped down on point guard Cole Herrin, forcing Ripon's supporting cast into a starring role. Herrin had 8, as Ripon slipped to 4-5 in TVL play and 9-15 overall.
Forced to foul, Wright and the Indians watched as Riverbank sealed the victory by knocking down all 11 of its last free throws.
The Bruins are at Hughson on Tuesday, Feb. 12 to close the season.
