It's happened before: The Ceres High varsity boys basketball team shows flashes of brilliance but fails to execute when it counts the most.
On Saturday in Modesto, the Bulldogs blew a six-point lead in the fourth quarter and fell 60-56 to Johansen in overtime.
The loss was the seventh in a row for Ceres.
"We play with teams in the first half," said Ceres senior Derrick Goblirsch. "We just don't know how to finish."
Three players scored in double figures for the Vikings, who improved to 4-3 in the Modesto Metro Conference standings, 11-8 overall. Brian Bergerson had a game-high 17 points. Brandon Edwards scored 11 points. James Campbell and Jordan Coenan both tallied 10 points.
Zack Wiedenbeck and sophomore Kevin Dupree had 13 and 10 points, respectively, for the Bulldogs, who fell to 0-7 in the MMC, 6-13 overall. Goblirsch and Rafael Valencia each added nine points.
"With our talent, we should be in the middle of the league, if not the top," Goblirsch said. "We can still get six or seven wins if we get hot and play good."
Ceres led for most of the game.
Johansen trailed 38-32 heading into the final quarter. The Vikings outscored the Bulldogs 15-9 in the fourth to force overtime.
Johansen took a two-point lead with nine seconds left in regulation on Bergerson's 3-point play. Ceres' Matt Schwark evened the score at 47-all, when he nailed a runner in the key with two seconds remaining.
In the extra period, Johansen outscored Ceres 13-9.
Bergerson sealed the win. He made two foul shots with four seconds remaining.
The Bulldogs shot 75 percent (18-for-24) from the free-throw line.
The Vikings shot 57 percent (21-for-37) from the foul line.
Modesto tops CHS
Ceres kept the game close in the first half by attacking the basket and playing stifling defense.
The Bulldogs settled for outside shots and allowed a lot of uncontested shots and layups in the second half of their 58-43 loss to the Panthers in Ceres Friday night.
Charlie Cunha, Schwark, Dupree and Ross Tate scored 11, eight, seven and six points, respectively, for the Bulldogs, who shot 60 percent (15-for-25) from the free-throw line for the game.
The Bulldogs buried four 3-pointers. Cunha, Schwark, Wiedenbeck and Brad Muniz each made one.
Modesto's Kenny Thompson, the most versatile player in the league, scored a game-high 27 points, including 12 in the first quarter. He made 11 of 14 free throws in the game. Ryan Vermuelan, the Panthers' 6-foot-10 center, had 11 points, including nine in the second half. Levirt Griffin added nine points. He made 7 of 10 foul shots.
Modesto shot 68 percent (23-for-34) from the foul line for the game.
Down 30-26 at halftime, Ceres managed to score just 10 points in the third and decisive quarter. The Bulldogs shot 8 percent (1-for-13) from the floor. They made 7 of 9 free throws.
Modesto tallied 17 points on 7-for-18 shooting in the third quarter.
The Panthers outscored the Bulldogs 11-7 in the fourth quarter. - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier
On Saturday in Modesto, the Bulldogs blew a six-point lead in the fourth quarter and fell 60-56 to Johansen in overtime.
The loss was the seventh in a row for Ceres.
"We play with teams in the first half," said Ceres senior Derrick Goblirsch. "We just don't know how to finish."
Three players scored in double figures for the Vikings, who improved to 4-3 in the Modesto Metro Conference standings, 11-8 overall. Brian Bergerson had a game-high 17 points. Brandon Edwards scored 11 points. James Campbell and Jordan Coenan both tallied 10 points.
Zack Wiedenbeck and sophomore Kevin Dupree had 13 and 10 points, respectively, for the Bulldogs, who fell to 0-7 in the MMC, 6-13 overall. Goblirsch and Rafael Valencia each added nine points.
"With our talent, we should be in the middle of the league, if not the top," Goblirsch said. "We can still get six or seven wins if we get hot and play good."
Ceres led for most of the game.
Johansen trailed 38-32 heading into the final quarter. The Vikings outscored the Bulldogs 15-9 in the fourth to force overtime.
Johansen took a two-point lead with nine seconds left in regulation on Bergerson's 3-point play. Ceres' Matt Schwark evened the score at 47-all, when he nailed a runner in the key with two seconds remaining.
In the extra period, Johansen outscored Ceres 13-9.
Bergerson sealed the win. He made two foul shots with four seconds remaining.
The Bulldogs shot 75 percent (18-for-24) from the free-throw line.
The Vikings shot 57 percent (21-for-37) from the foul line.
Modesto tops CHS
Ceres kept the game close in the first half by attacking the basket and playing stifling defense.
The Bulldogs settled for outside shots and allowed a lot of uncontested shots and layups in the second half of their 58-43 loss to the Panthers in Ceres Friday night.
Charlie Cunha, Schwark, Dupree and Ross Tate scored 11, eight, seven and six points, respectively, for the Bulldogs, who shot 60 percent (15-for-25) from the free-throw line for the game.
The Bulldogs buried four 3-pointers. Cunha, Schwark, Wiedenbeck and Brad Muniz each made one.
Modesto's Kenny Thompson, the most versatile player in the league, scored a game-high 27 points, including 12 in the first quarter. He made 11 of 14 free throws in the game. Ryan Vermuelan, the Panthers' 6-foot-10 center, had 11 points, including nine in the second half. Levirt Griffin added nine points. He made 7 of 10 foul shots.
Modesto shot 68 percent (23-for-34) from the foul line for the game.
Down 30-26 at halftime, Ceres managed to score just 10 points in the third and decisive quarter. The Bulldogs shot 8 percent (1-for-13) from the floor. They made 7 of 9 free throws.
Modesto tallied 17 points on 7-for-18 shooting in the third quarter.
The Panthers outscored the Bulldogs 11-7 in the fourth quarter. - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier
