Don't be alarmed.
That brash band of boisterous basketball fans donned in face paint and black T-shirts only looks like the second coming of William Wallace. The Riverbank High student cheering section dubbed the RBKrazies is expected to be in outlandish attendance today, Wednesday, Feb. 20, as the Bruin varsity boys basketball team hosts the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.
"We already have the call out for a blackout, urging everyone to wear black on Wednesday," Riverbank coach Jeff Jennings said on Monday. "It's always nice to be home, which is why we worked so hard to get two home playoff games.
"Now we have to take advantage of it."
The RBKrazies will likely be a constant harassment to Waterford players as the visiting Wildcats mount the difficult task of upsetting a Bruin team that sits 22-3 on the year and landed the No. 3 seed into the Division IV postseason.
Waterford (13-12) has lost five games to teams Riverbank beat this year, but made the postseason by winning four of its last five and ending second (9-5) in the Southern League. Riverbank is one of only two teams in the bracket (along with No. 1 seed Colfax) recognized in the Calhisports.com Division IV state rankings. The Bruins made the SJS semifinals a year ago, and sport a tenacious home record of 28-5 over the past three years.
The RBKrazies may have a little to do with that.
"(The home crowd) is a really big part of it," Jennings said. "Last year was so much fun at home and hopefully we are going to have a good home crowd against Waterford."
Bruin fans have plenty to cheer about, including a sharp-shooting roster that has made three or more three-pointers in every game, averages over seven treys a contest and sank 10 or more shots beyond the arc five different times during Trans-Valley League play.
And it's not just one shooter. Four Bruins have over 30 converted treys on their 2012-13 résumé. If they all get hot at once, this team could beat the Miami Heat.
Junior Rolaun Dunham (14.8 points-per-game) and senior Kenny Veliz (14.6) lead the team in scoring while a bushel of players have combined to chip in baskets throughout the year. Markus Benson (45 treys), Reilly Nabors, Tristan Rodgers, Trey Jones, Armando Manriquez and Luis Solorio get plenty of action across the floor as well.
It's a deep and talented unit that has rallied to a tremendous stanza this year despite the graduation of four of their top six scorers and rebounders from 2012.
Waterford doesn't have the depth of Riverbank and averages eight points less a game, but rallies behind the talent of senior standout Blake Terry, who scored 481 points in 23 games (a 20.9-point average) this year. Terry put up 30 in an 80-39 rout of Orestimba and has scrambled for 10 or more rebounds in 13 contests. Waterford has also enjoyed the recent hot hand of senior Branson Angle, who averages under 10 points a game, but scored over 15 in each of his last four appearances.
"(Terry) is a real good offensive player, but we feel like we have some good defenders we are going to introduce him to," Jennings said. "We are going to limit his touches as much as possible.
"If he gets up to get a hot dog we will follow him out there and give him some mustard, ketchup and mayo."
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Ray Fauria Memorial Gymnasium. The victor moves on to face the winner of Bret Harte and San Juan on Friday, Feb. 22 (at RHS if the Bruins win).
That brash band of boisterous basketball fans donned in face paint and black T-shirts only looks like the second coming of William Wallace. The Riverbank High student cheering section dubbed the RBKrazies is expected to be in outlandish attendance today, Wednesday, Feb. 20, as the Bruin varsity boys basketball team hosts the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.
"We already have the call out for a blackout, urging everyone to wear black on Wednesday," Riverbank coach Jeff Jennings said on Monday. "It's always nice to be home, which is why we worked so hard to get two home playoff games.
"Now we have to take advantage of it."
The RBKrazies will likely be a constant harassment to Waterford players as the visiting Wildcats mount the difficult task of upsetting a Bruin team that sits 22-3 on the year and landed the No. 3 seed into the Division IV postseason.
Waterford (13-12) has lost five games to teams Riverbank beat this year, but made the postseason by winning four of its last five and ending second (9-5) in the Southern League. Riverbank is one of only two teams in the bracket (along with No. 1 seed Colfax) recognized in the Calhisports.com Division IV state rankings. The Bruins made the SJS semifinals a year ago, and sport a tenacious home record of 28-5 over the past three years.
The RBKrazies may have a little to do with that.
"(The home crowd) is a really big part of it," Jennings said. "Last year was so much fun at home and hopefully we are going to have a good home crowd against Waterford."
Bruin fans have plenty to cheer about, including a sharp-shooting roster that has made three or more three-pointers in every game, averages over seven treys a contest and sank 10 or more shots beyond the arc five different times during Trans-Valley League play.
And it's not just one shooter. Four Bruins have over 30 converted treys on their 2012-13 résumé. If they all get hot at once, this team could beat the Miami Heat.
Junior Rolaun Dunham (14.8 points-per-game) and senior Kenny Veliz (14.6) lead the team in scoring while a bushel of players have combined to chip in baskets throughout the year. Markus Benson (45 treys), Reilly Nabors, Tristan Rodgers, Trey Jones, Armando Manriquez and Luis Solorio get plenty of action across the floor as well.
It's a deep and talented unit that has rallied to a tremendous stanza this year despite the graduation of four of their top six scorers and rebounders from 2012.
Waterford doesn't have the depth of Riverbank and averages eight points less a game, but rallies behind the talent of senior standout Blake Terry, who scored 481 points in 23 games (a 20.9-point average) this year. Terry put up 30 in an 80-39 rout of Orestimba and has scrambled for 10 or more rebounds in 13 contests. Waterford has also enjoyed the recent hot hand of senior Branson Angle, who averages under 10 points a game, but scored over 15 in each of his last four appearances.
"(Terry) is a real good offensive player, but we feel like we have some good defenders we are going to introduce him to," Jennings said. "We are going to limit his touches as much as possible.
"If he gets up to get a hot dog we will follow him out there and give him some mustard, ketchup and mayo."
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Ray Fauria Memorial Gymnasium. The victor moves on to face the winner of Bret Harte and San Juan on Friday, Feb. 22 (at RHS if the Bruins win).
