Central Valley High School's varsity girls basketball team rallied for a pair of victories last week.
"They know what I expect from them," Hawks head coach Jesse Padilla said. "We need to start games the way we finish them. We're not going to be able to come back against better teams."
Center Brittany Martinez and sophomore guard Mia Lorenzo scored a combined 55 points for Central Valley, which improved to 6-2 on the year.
"Brittany sets team goals every game and gets after it," Padilla said. "I've brought Mia off the bench the last couple of games. It's seemed to work pretty good for us."
Central Valley overcame a 40-36 third-quarter deficit en route to pulling away for a 57-40 win over Pitman on Friday in Ceres.
Martinez led the Hawks with 20 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.
Lorenzo buried two treys and totaled 12 points. She also had five steals, two rebounds and two assists.
Valerie Olide tallied eight points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists.
Vivien Fermil collected five points, three assists, two rebounds and one steal.
Diana Carmona contributed four points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Penny Chanthavong had four points and two steals.
Amanda Wheeler and Catrina Castillo both scored two points.
The Hawks outscored the Pride 21-0 in the final period. Central Valley took control after Pitman switched to a 1-3-1 defense.
"We just picked them apart," Padilla said.
Central Valley edged host Merced 45-42 on Tuesday, Dec. 13.
Three players scored in double figures for the Hawks, including Martinez, Lorenzo and Olide.
Martinez finished with 13 points, 18 rebounds, one assist and one steal.
Lorenzo had 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal.
Olide added 10 points and seven rebounds.
Fermil and Wheeler both contributed three points.
Carmona, Castillo and Melinda Camarillo all collected two points.
Central Valley fell behind 23-17 in the opening half.
The Hawks outscored the Bears 16-2 in the third period.
JV winless no more
Central Valley High School's junior-varsity girls basketball team is no longer winless.
The Hawks snapped a five-game losing skid with a 38-30 victory over Pitman on Friday in Ceres.
Tamara Uti tallied a team-high 10 points for Central Valley, which improved to 1-5.
Emily Rivas, Jazareth Valencia, Veronica Duarte and Bianca Zuniga had nine, seven, four and three points, respectively.
Jasmine Bhatti and Jasmine Evans both scored two points.
Courtney Ahart added one point.
The Hawks built an 18-11 lead in the opening half. Uti and Rivas accounted for all 11 of Central Valley's second-quarter points.
The Hawks outscored the Pride 21-17 in the second half.
"They know what I expect from them," Hawks head coach Jesse Padilla said. "We need to start games the way we finish them. We're not going to be able to come back against better teams."
Center Brittany Martinez and sophomore guard Mia Lorenzo scored a combined 55 points for Central Valley, which improved to 6-2 on the year.
"Brittany sets team goals every game and gets after it," Padilla said. "I've brought Mia off the bench the last couple of games. It's seemed to work pretty good for us."
Central Valley overcame a 40-36 third-quarter deficit en route to pulling away for a 57-40 win over Pitman on Friday in Ceres.
Martinez led the Hawks with 20 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.
Lorenzo buried two treys and totaled 12 points. She also had five steals, two rebounds and two assists.
Valerie Olide tallied eight points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists.
Vivien Fermil collected five points, three assists, two rebounds and one steal.
Diana Carmona contributed four points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Penny Chanthavong had four points and two steals.
Amanda Wheeler and Catrina Castillo both scored two points.
The Hawks outscored the Pride 21-0 in the final period. Central Valley took control after Pitman switched to a 1-3-1 defense.
"We just picked them apart," Padilla said.
Central Valley edged host Merced 45-42 on Tuesday, Dec. 13.
Three players scored in double figures for the Hawks, including Martinez, Lorenzo and Olide.
Martinez finished with 13 points, 18 rebounds, one assist and one steal.
Lorenzo had 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal.
Olide added 10 points and seven rebounds.
Fermil and Wheeler both contributed three points.
Carmona, Castillo and Melinda Camarillo all collected two points.
Central Valley fell behind 23-17 in the opening half.
The Hawks outscored the Bears 16-2 in the third period.
JV winless no more
Central Valley High School's junior-varsity girls basketball team is no longer winless.
The Hawks snapped a five-game losing skid with a 38-30 victory over Pitman on Friday in Ceres.
Tamara Uti tallied a team-high 10 points for Central Valley, which improved to 1-5.
Emily Rivas, Jazareth Valencia, Veronica Duarte and Bianca Zuniga had nine, seven, four and three points, respectively.
Jasmine Bhatti and Jasmine Evans both scored two points.
Courtney Ahart added one point.
The Hawks built an 18-11 lead in the opening half. Uti and Rivas accounted for all 11 of Central Valley's second-quarter points.
The Hawks outscored the Pride 21-17 in the second half.
