Local sports roundup: PC men's basketball ends with win
After going winless in its first 19 games, the Porterville College men’s basketball team finished 3-2.
Porterville won three of its last five games, including winning its last two games of the season, finishing the year with a 73-58 win at Merced on Saturday.
“Definitely just to end our year on a winning streak was fantastic,” PC coach T.J. Jennings said. “We’re proud of them because the continually got better.”
PC took control of the game at the end of the first half with a run that gave the Pirates a 10-point lead. Porterville ended the half with Cameron Allen hitting a three-point shot from half court at the buzzer.
Jennings also said a key to the game was his team’s rebounding. “We did a fantastic job on the boards,” Jennings said.
Miguel Perez scored 23 points, Tyrone Hall had 11 points and Allen added 10 points. “I would definitely say it was a complete team victory,” Jennings said. “I was very pleased with that.”
The all-Central Valley Conference team was also chosen on Sunday. Perez was an honorable mention choice, Hall was named to the all-freshmen team and Elijah Henningham was named to the all-defensive team for PC.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
COS 72, PC 51
College of the Sequoias outrebounded Porterville College 46-33 on its way to the win. Granite Hills graduate Emily Fechner had a huge game for COS, posting a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds. For PC, Maribel Bravo scored 22 points, Katrina Goulbourne had 11 points and Eva Gutierrez added eight points.
Despite finishing the season with a loss, PC coach Dave Kavern said he was pleased with the improvement his program made this year as the Pirates finished 4-8 in the Central Valley Conference. He praised his five sophomores, Erica Hughes, Jackie Padron, Goulbourne, Bravo and Gutierrez. “They helped get the program going in the right direction,” Kavern said.
Kavern also said recruiting has gone well, with the commitments of several local players to the program.
Local players were also well-represented on the all-CVC team that was selected on Sunday. Five PC players were honored as Bravo was named to the first team, Gutierrez and Goulboure were named to the second team and Alia Alvarez and Destiny Zarate were honorable mention choices.
Other local players honored included Fechner, who was named to the first team for the second straight year, and Monache graduate Jenae Alcantar who was named to the second team for Fresno City,
BASEBALL
STRATHMORE 1, FARMERSVILLE 0
Clay Sharp lived up to his name as he was indeed sharp, pitching a complete-game two-hit shutout while striking out 13 for SHS. Ryan Horner was 2-of-3 and scored the only run of the game and Tyler Watson, Dustin Della and Sharp all added a hit for SHS.
PC SWEPT
Porterville College lost both ends of a doubleheader on Saturday, losing the completion of a suspended game 8-0 and then losing the nightcap 10-2. The opener was the completion of Tuesday’s game that was suspended after five innings with Merced leading 4-0. PC was no-hit through the first five innings and ended up with only two hits on Saturday as James Bingaman and Rory French each had a hit for the Pirates.
PC also struggled offensively in the nightcap, with only four hits. Three of those hits came in the first inning. Bryce Telfer went 2-for-4 and drove in both of Porterville’s runs in the first as PC jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but then it was all downhill from there. Andrew Lopez and James Lopez both went 1-for-3 with a run for PC (5-5, 1-2).
