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CHS girls basketball upset bid falls short
Bulldogs challenge unbeaten Tigers before suffering 47-40 loss in girls hoops
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Alyssa Sanchez scored seven points during the Ceres High varsity girls basketball teams 47-40 loss to undefeated Los Banos last week at Phil de la Porte Gymnasium. - photo by DALE BUTLER/The Courier

Neither team, Ceres High's or Los Banos' varsity girls basketball squads, led by more than four points for the majority of the game.

The Tigers made all six of their free throws in the final 1:08 to play to secure a 47-40 win over the Bulldogs on Thursday at Phil de la Porte Gymnasium.

"This game was really competitive," Ceres High standout sophomore guard Nicole Bates said. "I thought we were going to pull out the win. We were just waiting for them to make a mistake."

The Bulldogs (0-5) remained winless in WAC play.

Undefeated Los Banos earned its fourth victory.

"It's hard," Bates said while talking about the Bulldogs' struggles. "It's a team sport. We're all playing for each other. We're getting better every day. By the end of the season, we'll come out with some wins."

Bates tallied a team-high 17 points.

Freshman Adriana Haynes scored 10 points before fouling out in the final period.

Alyssa Sanchez and Jessica Arreola netted seven and five points, respectively.

Perla Vargas had one point.

Jacquline Arretche tallied a game-high 24 points for the Tigers.

Evelyn Johnson, Elena Erreca and Nicole Marchese contributed 15, five and three points, respectively.

Ceres High trailed 35-33 at the end of the third quarter.

The Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 13-7 in the final period. Bates was limited to one point.

Ceres High also missed two of three foul shots, including the front end of a one-and-one, and committed two turnovers down the stretch to seal its fate.

Arretche, Marchese and Erreca combined to make 6 of 6 free throws during the final 1:08.

The Bulldogs shot 50 percent (7 of 14) from the foul line.

The Tigers shot 71 percent (15 of 21) from the charity stripe.

Host Ceres High challenged Patterson in the first quarter before fading in a 76-29 loss on Tuesday, Jan. 14.

Bates scored 10 of her team-high 17 points in the opening period.

Haynes and Sanchez collected five points each.

Vargas chipped in with two points.

Ceres High trailed 20-16 eight minutes into the game.

The Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 56-13 the rest of the way.

"We just need to do the little things right," Bates said. "Box out. Make free throws. Always give full effort."

Ceres High will play at crosstown-rival Central Valley tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. The Hawks won the first meeting, 42-34, on Jan. 9.