By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Ten Point Spread Places Bruins
Placeholder Image
On top Riverbank boys put on one of their best performances of the season to defeat Bret Harte, 52-42, in an away varsity basketball game on Dec. 14.

"We played hard when it counted, had lots of contributions from everybody and mounted a great defensive effort to hold them to just three points in the second quarter," said Bruin coach Jeff Jennings.

Riverbank led the first quarter, 15-12; blasted Bret Harte, 13-3, in the second; again led the third, 12-10; and yielded only the last period, 17-12.

Jon Blount hit a high point score of 15 for Riverbank. Kevin Cole and Drew Villalobos, with 11 points each, and Eric Rodriguez ,with 8, trailed him.

The Bruins bagged 15 out of 23 attempts from the free throw line.

Of Riverbank's seven 3-pointers, Cole hit three of them, Blount, two, and Villalobos and Justin Montano, one each.

Friday's game against Sonora, again away, didn't make so nice a story. The Bruins lost, 44-38.

"Sonora is a much bigger school,' said Jennings, "We were leading much of the way. But we began to miss lay-ups and passed poorly. We had our chance to build on the lead and we blew it. Maybe it was because it was finals week. Maybe the kids were feeling drained."

The Bruins led the first quarter, 11-9, and tied Sonora for the second, 8-8. But Riverbank dropped behind, 13-9, in the third quarter, and fell further short, 14-8, in the last period.

Cole claimed top points for the Bruins, at 13. Rodriguez scored 12 points. Blount and Villalobos posted five each, and Ray Baca had three.

Cole sank three outside shots out of Riverbank's six 3-pointers. Villalobos, Blount and Baca each had one.

Riverbank failed to sink one of its four attempts from the foul line.

This week, Riverbank, like Oakdale, Escalon, Waterford and a dozen other schools, will compete in the Oakdale Rotary Classic basketball tournament. Starting at 10 a.m. Monday, it will run for four days with varsity games at Oakdale High School and junior varsity paying at Oakdale Junior Highn School.