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Tate leads Bulldogs past Vikings
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Ross Tate scored 19 points and the Ceres High varsity boys basketball team defeated Johansen 59-48 Wednesday night in Ceres.

Zack Wiedenbeck and Bryant Hill added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Bulldogs, who beat the Vikings for the first time in three tries.

"We attacked the basket, got some rebounds and passed the ball around," said Ceres coach Jason Martin.

Ceres improved to 9-15 overall, 3-9 in the Modesto Metro Conference.

Johansen fell to 14-10 overall, 7-5 in the MMC standings.

The Bulldogs started 0-7 in league.

"It's nice to get a win this late in the season," Martin said.

Ceres outscored Johansen 21-11 in the fourth quarter. Hill had eight points, including two 3-pointers. Tate, Wiedenbeck and Kevin Dupree added six, four and three points, respectively.

Hill and Tate helped the Bulldogs turn a two-point deficit into a seven-point lead with 2:23 remaining. Hill's second trey put Ceres ahead by one, 46-45. Tate converted three consecutive layups for a 52-45 lead.

Ceres allowed just three points in the final 3:39.

Brian Bergerson, Johansen's top player, scored 12 points in the game, including just two in the fourth quarter. The junior had 10 points in the second quarter.

"Defensively, we were real good," Martin said.

The Bulldogs shot 36 percent (10-for-28) from the field, 78 percent (7-for-9) from the free-throw line and committed just four turnovers in the second half. The Vikings shot 27 percent (7-for-26) from the field, 50 percent (4-for-8) from the foul line and had nine turnovers after intermission.

Ceres trailed 29-28 at halftime.

Patriots edge Dawgs

The last time Ceres High played Beyer, the Patriots were routed 60-46 in Ceres. The Bulldogs weren't as dominant during the rematch.

"They made their free throws down the stretch," Martin said. "We didn't. That was the difference."

Tate scored a team-high 12 points, and Hill and Brad Muniz each had seven points during Ceres' 51-49 loss to Beyer in Modesto Friday night.

Tim Morris led the Patriots with 22 points. He made four 3-pointers. Brett Blom added 12 points, including two 3s.

Beyer shot 68 percent (17-for-25) from the foul line. Ceres shot 60 percent (9-for-15) from the charity stripe.

Down 24-23 at intermission, the Patriots outscored the Bulldogs 28-25 in the second half.

Morris had 10 points in the third quarter.

Tied at 49-all, Blom made two free throws in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.

Beyer built a two-point lead after Muniz was fouled on a layup attempt and missed the front end of a one-and-one with 11 seconds remaining.

"We didn't even get a shot off at the end," Martin said. "We called a timeout, set up a play and threw the ball away at halfcourt. - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier