NEWMAN, Calif – In its only Trans-Valley League game last week, the Orestimba High girls basketball team looked its defense was going to post a win
But Sonora’s squad had other ideas.
Hosting the Wildcats on Friday, Orestimba led most of the game. But the visiting Wildcats came away with a 51-44 win in overtime.
“It was a close game from the start,” said Orestimba head coach Dwain Bell, whose squad goes to 3-4 in the TVL and 11-10 overall.
The Warriors led 19-15 at halftime.
“Our defense played awesome through the first three quarters,” said Bell, whose Warriors led 34-30 entering the fourth quarter.
Orestimba had a nine-point lead with 3 minutes to go in the game. Then the Warriors committed what Bell described as “too many turnovers.”
That allowed Sonora to take the lead by two with 10 seconds left. Then Bellany Martens’ offensive rebound and put back at the buzzer tied the game and sent it into overtime.
“We had been 2-0 (record) in OT, so I was confident that we could pull it out,” Bell said.
But the Warriors’ downfall in overtime was missing four free throws, and 14 in the game.
Despite the loss, Bell was pleased with the Warriors’ fight at the end of the game that went into overtime.
“I was very proud of how the girls fought through foul trouble and kept hanging in there,” Bell said. “I was also proud that we had eight girls contribute in the scoring column.”
Ashlynn Bell had 19 points for the Warriors. Laylahni Garcia followed with eight points, Natalie Corella four, Mallory Solano and Shantelle Pizarro three each and Martens, Lilly Rocha and Mirella Fregoso two each.
Upcoming games
On Tuesday, Orestimba will host TVL foe Ripon for the third time this season.
The Indians have beaten the Warriors twice; the second time in Ripon in January and the first time in the second round of the Todd Messersmith Classic Invitational at Liberty Ranch High of Galt in December. The Warriors lost both games by less than six points.
Then on Friday, Orestimba welcomes Hilmar in another league game. That contest is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
Then the Warriors welcome Hughson on Saturday. The tipoff is scheduled at 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, Feb. 11, Orestimba will host Ripon Christian. That game is also scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
Mike Bush is a multimedia journalist who was born and raised in the Stanislaus and Merced County areas. Follow him on X/Twitter @MikeBMultimedia and Instagram @mikebushphotography.
