Competing at home for the first time this season, Ceres High's varsity boys basketball team struggled to keep pace with Patterson after a competitive first half.

The visiting Tigers reeled off 19 straight points in the third quarter en route to a 69-47 win over the Bulldogs.

"They took their intensity up and we failed to match it," Bulldogs head coach Brian de la Porte said. "That cost us the game."

Tony Bradford led the Bulldogs (3-6) with 11 points. Marcus Hilgen and Mark Schwark each scored eight points. Lance Hunter and Scott Meyer both tallied six points. Justin Canatsy and Martino Bertolotti contributed five and three points, respectively.

Ceres High shot just 33 percent (6 of 18) from the free-throw line.

Three players scored in double figures for the 7-2 Tigers, including Kent Foster (19 points), Felix Mapanda (18) and Justin Nickoulous (14). Imani Brown added eight points.

Patterson made 17 of its 24 foul shots (71 percent).

The Tigers were in the midst of a 23-4 run in the third quarter when Hilgen suffered a right ankle injury. The senior point guard had to be helped off the court by coaches and was lost for the remainder of the game.

Bertlotti played sparingly in the second half after landing hard on his back while fighting for an offensive rebound.

Ceres High led 28-27 at intermission.

"We played really well in the first half," de la Porte said. "For whatever reason, we didn't handle it (Patterson's pressure defense) in the second half. That's a good ball club."

Ceres High lost 71-65 in overtime to Patterson at the Save Mart Classic in Atwater earlier this season.