Ceres High’s boys basketball team is no longer winless in Western Athletic Conference play after notching back-to-back victories.

Central Valley won one of its two league games.

“The key was staying disciplined and sticking with the game plan,” Bulldogs’ first-year head coach Darae Taylor said.

Ceres High improved to 8-11 overall and 2-3 in the WAC standings after earning a narrow 62-60 win over visiting Grace Davis on Friday at Phil de la Porte Gymnasium.

“We started out pretty slow in the first quarter,” Taylor said. “Then we got going. It was a pretty even game.”

Ramon Cortez Jr. led the Bulldogs with 27 points.

Tayden Galton added 12 points.

Cashton Almeida tallied 11 points.

Jake Oliver collected eight points.

Aiden Bowen and Tavian Ellis both contributed two points.

Ceres High snapped a five-game losing streak with a 62-46 win at Pacheco on Jan. 14.

Three Bulldog players opted to sit out the game following the passing of Ceres High student Roy Randez, 16, who succumbed to injuries sustained when he fell from the tailgate of a moving pickup truck in the Hidahal Elementary School parking lot.

“We got the win for Roy,” Taylor said. “A lot of our kids had class with him. It was an emotional day. The funeral was that day. You could feel the weight on the kids the whole week.” 

Galton led the Bulldogs with 20 points.

Almeida added 11 points.

Oliver and Elijah Robinson both tallied eight points.

Tavian Ellis collected six points.

“It was competitive at the start of the game,” Taylor said.

Central Valley dropped to 7-12 overall and 2-3 in league following its 64-48 setback at Johansen on Friday.

Xavier Manor scored a game-high 17 points for the Hawks.

Parteek Sohal added seven points.

Jace Mclennon and Jaylan Tagadaya both tallied six points.

Central Valley edged Livingston 57-55 on Jan. 14 in Ceres.

Gonzalez paced the Hawks with 15 points.

Mclennon and Sohal both contributed 12 points.

Silas Rodriguez and David Gutierrez each netted seven points.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Ceres High’s girls basketball team snapped a two-game skid with a 60-42 win at Grace Davis on Jan. 15.

The Bulldogs improved to 10-8 overall and 3-2 in the WAC standings.

Lilly Staggs poured in a game-high 30 points versus the Spartans.

Persia Rochell totaled 16 points.

Sovannary Carter collected 10 points.

Jolissa Guillory and Mariah Renteria both contributed two points.

Ceres High lost 51-41 to Pacheco on Jan. 13 at Phil de la Porte Gymnasium.

Carter tallied a game-high 20 points.

Rochell added 11 points.

Makaela Brown netted six points.

Staggs had four points.

Central Valley’s girls basketball team dropped to 3-14 overall and 0-5 in the WAC after dropping a pair of games.

The Hawks lost 46-39 to the Vikings of Johansen on Jan. 15 in Modesto.

Central Valley suffered a 38-32 loss at Livingston on Jan. 13.

Ari Martinez led the Hawks with nine points.

Emily Mariani and Lilyanna Madrigal both tallied seven points.

Alayah Villa collected three points.

Serath Birring, Emily Carranza and Bella Delatorre al contributed two points.