The Ceres High JV boys basketball team faced its toughest challenge of the season in Modesto on Saturday. And failed.
The Bulldogs managed to score just five points in the opening quarter of its 59-49 loss to Davis in Modesto Metro Conference play.
"The last three quarters we fought for it," said Ceres coach Jim Pernetti.
DaArron Grays and Steven Downs scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, for Ceres, which fell to 4-1 in the MMC, 12-2 overall.
Geoff Harrison and Eric Waterford had 20 and 15 points, respectively, for Davis, which improved to 5-0 in the league standings, 17-0 overall.
"The only ones ready to play were Steven and DaArron," Pernetti said.
Davis snapped Ceres' 10-game winning streak. The Bulldogs and Spartans will meet again. They play at Davis on Feb. 2 and at Ceres on Feb. 18.
"I don't think they'll beat us three times," Pernetti said.
Downs, Ceres' 6-foot-6 center, saw a limited amount of playing time against the Spartans because he got into foul trouble. Downs and two other starters, Andrew Chipponeri and Brett Sayad, each picked up two fouls in the first quarter.
Harrison, Davis' 6-foot-8 center, was a force on offense and defense. He rarely rested.
"He was awesome," Pernetti said. "He played 90 percent of the game."
The Spartans held a 14-5 lead heading into the second quarter.
"If the kids wouldn't have had tight rear ends in the first quarter, we would have been fine," Pernetti said.
"It set the tone."
Ceres shot 24 percent (9-for-37) from the floor in the first half, including 11 percent (2-for-19) in the opening quarter. Davis shot 32 percent (10-for-31) from the field and 71 percent (12-for-17) from the free-throw line.
Ceres trailed 33-24 at intermission.
The Spartans extended their lead to 14, 49-35, in the third quarter. Harrison scored six-straight points. Dominic Mason and Leroy Velasquez each had four points.
Ceres outscored Davis 14-10 in the fourth quarter. Downs and Brett Sayad had six and four points, respectively, for the Bulldogs.
Ceres shot 29 percent (20-for-70) from the floor and 67 percent (6-for-9) from the free-throw line for the game.
Davis shot 33 percent (20-for-60) from the floor and 69 percent (18-for-26) from the foul line.
The Spartans had 13 turnovers, one more than the Bulldogs.
Ceres 70, Beyer 54
Sayad tallied a team-high 13 points, Henry Shamoeil scored 11, and Downs and Ray Green both had 10 during Ceres' 70-54 win over Beyer in Modesto on Wednesday.
Grays, Chipponeri and Brar added nine, eight and seven points, respectively, for the Bulldogs.
Ceres outscored Beyer 45-19 in the first half, including 22-6 in the first quarter.
Chipponeri scored six points in the first quarter. Green and Shamoeil each had four.
Downs, Grays and Shamoeil had eight, seven and four points, respectively, in the second quarter.
Ceres buried four 3-pointers. Chipponeri made two. Shamoeil and Grays both made one.
The Bulldogs will play against the Modesto High Panthers at Ceres High on Friday at 5:45 p.m and Johansen Vikings in Modesto on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier
The Bulldogs managed to score just five points in the opening quarter of its 59-49 loss to Davis in Modesto Metro Conference play.
"The last three quarters we fought for it," said Ceres coach Jim Pernetti.
DaArron Grays and Steven Downs scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, for Ceres, which fell to 4-1 in the MMC, 12-2 overall.
Geoff Harrison and Eric Waterford had 20 and 15 points, respectively, for Davis, which improved to 5-0 in the league standings, 17-0 overall.
"The only ones ready to play were Steven and DaArron," Pernetti said.
Davis snapped Ceres' 10-game winning streak. The Bulldogs and Spartans will meet again. They play at Davis on Feb. 2 and at Ceres on Feb. 18.
"I don't think they'll beat us three times," Pernetti said.
Downs, Ceres' 6-foot-6 center, saw a limited amount of playing time against the Spartans because he got into foul trouble. Downs and two other starters, Andrew Chipponeri and Brett Sayad, each picked up two fouls in the first quarter.
Harrison, Davis' 6-foot-8 center, was a force on offense and defense. He rarely rested.
"He was awesome," Pernetti said. "He played 90 percent of the game."
The Spartans held a 14-5 lead heading into the second quarter.
"If the kids wouldn't have had tight rear ends in the first quarter, we would have been fine," Pernetti said.
"It set the tone."
Ceres shot 24 percent (9-for-37) from the floor in the first half, including 11 percent (2-for-19) in the opening quarter. Davis shot 32 percent (10-for-31) from the field and 71 percent (12-for-17) from the free-throw line.
Ceres trailed 33-24 at intermission.
The Spartans extended their lead to 14, 49-35, in the third quarter. Harrison scored six-straight points. Dominic Mason and Leroy Velasquez each had four points.
Ceres outscored Davis 14-10 in the fourth quarter. Downs and Brett Sayad had six and four points, respectively, for the Bulldogs.
Ceres shot 29 percent (20-for-70) from the floor and 67 percent (6-for-9) from the free-throw line for the game.
Davis shot 33 percent (20-for-60) from the floor and 69 percent (18-for-26) from the foul line.
The Spartans had 13 turnovers, one more than the Bulldogs.
Ceres 70, Beyer 54
Sayad tallied a team-high 13 points, Henry Shamoeil scored 11, and Downs and Ray Green both had 10 during Ceres' 70-54 win over Beyer in Modesto on Wednesday.
Grays, Chipponeri and Brar added nine, eight and seven points, respectively, for the Bulldogs.
Ceres outscored Beyer 45-19 in the first half, including 22-6 in the first quarter.
Chipponeri scored six points in the first quarter. Green and Shamoeil each had four.
Downs, Grays and Shamoeil had eight, seven and four points, respectively, in the second quarter.
Ceres buried four 3-pointers. Chipponeri made two. Shamoeil and Grays both made one.
The Bulldogs will play against the Modesto High Panthers at Ceres High on Friday at 5:45 p.m and Johansen Vikings in Modesto on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier
