Although basketball practices for both boys and girls teams has been fervent over the past few weeks, things began getting serious this past weekend.

Saturday was full of four-team scrimmages at home, for the boys varsity starting at 10 a.m. and girls varsity team taking the court at 1 p.m.

The boys freshman team was to travel to Sonora for a scrimmage, also on Saturday.

The JV boys were set to start scrimmage games at Sierra High in Manteca on Tuesday against the Manteca Timberwolves.

The Bruin boys varsity and JV games get started with some purpose during the ‘Tip Off’ Tournament, scheduled Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 3-5, at home. All three boys teams begin a regular schedule with games at Downey High School in Modesto on Tuesday, Dec. 8. The freshmen start at 4 p.m., JV at 5:30 and varsity at 7 p.m.

The boys freshman team doesn’t play again until Downey, but then they’ll have four straight days of basketball, with the Modesto City Tournament Wednesday through Friday that week, Dec. 9-11.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

The Lady Bruins, both varsity and JV, started this past Saturday at home with a scrimmage against Oakdale. Both Riverbank teams were set to host Waterford in scrimmage games on Tuesday, Nov. 24 after The News went to press.

Girls varsity basketballers were to travel to Johansen High School for their Foundation Game on Monday, Nov. 20 at 6 p.m.

The girls JV team won’t play again until the Escalon Tournament, Dec. 2-4, when both varsity and JV squads will be in action.

Regular games begin on Dec. 8, with all three teams traveling to Oakdale.

The freshman girls won’t play until that game in Oakdale, according to their published schedule.

That schedule may change as the season goes along, since some schools do not field freshmen, or even JV teams.