Ceres High’s varsity boys basketball program bested two of three opponents last week.

“When we do what we’re supposed to offensively and defensively, we’re a good team,” coach T.J. Walker said.

The Bulldogs won both of their games at the Ceres Holiday Classic, staged Dec. 13-15 at Phil de la Porte Gymnasium.

“I’m definitely happy,” Walker said. “But there’s stuff we got to clean up.”

Host Ceres High improved to 3-3 on the season with a 52-50 triumph over Bret Harte on Saturday.

“We were down most of the game and figured out a way to pull it out,” Walker said. “We got some stops and made some shots. It was a good test for us.”

Sophomore Derrick O’Neal led the Bulldogs with 15 points, four assists, two steals and one rebound.

Elijah Hughes had 14 points, nine rebounds and three steals.

Josh Pernetti had eight points and five rebounds.

Malakhi Shimon had eight points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal.

Freshman Verlis Smith had seven points, one rebound and one steal.

Brock Moore had seven rebounds.

Kawika Bowers had three rebounds and one assist.

Aaron Delgado had one rebound.

Ceres High routed Linden 90-70 on Friday.

“It was a good day,” Walker said. “We played as a unit.”

Isaiah Alcorn made six of nine treys en route to scoring a career-high 18 points. Alcorn buried his first six shots from 3-point range.

He also collected three rebounds, one assist and one steal.

“He (Alcorn) broke the game open for us,” Walker said. “He had nights like that at the JV level.”

Hughes had 12 points, 10 rebounds and two steals.

Shimon had 11 points, two rebounds and one assist.

Christian Murry had 10 points, five rebounds, one assist and one steal.

Pernetti had 10 points and three rebounds.

O’Neal had eight points, seven assists, three rebounds and two steals.

Enrique Granados had eight points and one rebound.

Delgado had six points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal.

“He got us going on defense,” Walker said.

Brock DeWitt had six points and one steal.

Smith had two points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Visiting Ceres High dropped its Western Athletic Conference opener, 61-57, to Lathrop on Dec. 11.

“We played from behind,” Walker said. “All but one of our losses have been like that.”

Hughes tallied 19 points.

O’Neal added 16 points.

Murry totaled seven points.

Pernetti, Shimon and Smith all had five points.

The Bulldogs cut a 16-point deficit to two with 23 seconds left in regulation.

“You put yourself in a good position when you play defense and take care of the ball,” Walker said.

Ceres High will play three games this week.

The Bulldogs will battle visiting Beyer today and host Johansen on Friday.

The WAC games will begin at 7:15 p.m.

Ceres High will face non-league rival Modesto High on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

“We’re starting to roll,” Walker said. “I feel good where we’re at.”