Local roundup: PC men beat Reedley

After hanging on for a 78-75 win at Reedley College on Saturday, the Porterville College men’s basketball team now really finds itself in a wide open race for second place in the Central Valley Conference and a state playoff berth.

PC improved to 10-10 and 3-2 in the CVC. The Pirates were also helped out last week in the race for second when College of the Sequoias suffered its second loss in the CVC when it lost to West Hills.

Led by Donald Lee’s seven three-pointers, the Pirates had an outstanding shooting night and needed every bit of it to hang on against Reedley as they shot 52 percent (13-of-25) from beyond the arc and went 9-of-9 from the foul line.

Porterville’s last basket came when Johnathon Brown scored on a putback to give the Pirates a 76-71 lead. Reedley closed to within 76-75 and made a steal, but Dilpreet Thind got back on defense to block a shot that would have given Reedley the lead with 22 seconds left. Brown then rebounded Reedley’s missed shot and was fouled, but it was only Reedley’s fifth team foul.

Reedley eventually committed its seventh team foul on Mikey Hidalgo with 13.4 seconds left. Hidalgo made both foul shots to give PC a 78-75 lead. PC then was able to preserve the win on defense in the end.

Porterville trailed 18-13, but Lee hit a three to begin a 13-2 run that gave PC a 26-20 lead. Reedley came back to go up 34-32, but PC caught fire as Hidalgo hit a three to give Porterville a 35-34 lead. Lee then hit three straight threes to give the Pirates a 44-38 lead late in the first half.

After Reedley went up 45-44 early in the second half, Porterville went on 16-4 run to take a 60-49 lead. Kameron Hoyt began the run with a three to give PC a 47-45 lead. The run ended with Brown scoring inside and he was fouled. He converted the three-point play to give PC a 60-49 led.

After Reedley closed to within 64-62, Hoyt hit a three to give PC a 67-62 lead. Lee scored his last basket of the night when he hit his seventh three to up Porterville up 70-64.

Lee scored 27 points, Hoyt had 12 points, Hidalgo had 11 points and Brown added nine points. Porterville was also able to win with a limited contribution from one of its top players, Jason Carmichael.

Carmichael saw limited playing time in the first half and didn’t play at all in the second half due to a back injury. Carmichael scored five points.

WRESTLING

The Monache and Granite Hills wrestling teams continued strong showings at their respective tournaments over the weekend.

Matt Gamble won his second straight title for Monache at 106 pounds, following his crown at the Kern County Invitational with a title at the tough California Invitational Tournament in Morro Bay on Saturday. Gamble beat a Foothill wrestler 10-3 in the finals. “He had a great tournament,” Monache coach Arthur Demerath said.

Monache had four wrestlers advance to the second day of the tournament and two other wrestlers place along with Gamble. Seth Hood (113) placed fourth and Ryan Poe (120) took seventh. Joey Ryan was eliminated in a 9-5 loss on Saturday to the Valley’s No. 7 ranked wrestler from Kingsburg.

The Marauders finished 13th out of 71 teams with 106.5 points and was within striking range of second place. Lemoore won the tournament with 193 points and Simi Valley was second with 139 points. “I thought 13th place out of 71 teams was a pretty good result,” Demerath said.

Meanwhhile for Granite Hills, Bailio Arroyo (126) won a title at the Mission Oak Tournament. Granite had seven wrestlers place in the event as it finished fifth. Granite was in the race for third place before Exeter pulled away with 148.5 points. Kerman also overtook Granite for third in the second to last match, edging the Grizzlies by 1.5 poins, 131.5-130. Hoover won the event with 169.5 points and Mission Oak was second with 162.5.

Arroyo pinned Mission Oak’s Delano Hendrix in the finals for the title. Also for Granite, Danny Jacuinde (170) took second, losing in the finals to Anthony Navarro, the state’s No. 17 ranked wrestler. In addition for Granite, Martin Ayala (138) took second, Tyler Jones (160) was fifth, Ruben Arreola (132) was fifth, Antonio Parra (220) was fourth and Ruben Corona (heavyweight) was second. 

After hanging on for a 78-75 win at Reedley College on Saturday, the Porterville College men’s basketball team now really finds itself in a wide open race for second place in the Central Valley Conference and a state playoff berth.

PC improved to 10-10 and 3-2 in the CVC. The Pirates were also helped out last week in the race for second when College of the Sequoias suffered its second loss in the CVC when it lost to West Hills.

Led by Donald Lee’s seven three-pointers, the Pirates had an outstanding shooting night and needed every bit of it to hang on against Reedley as they shot 52 percent (13-of-25) from beyond the arc and went 9-of-9 from the foul line.

Porterville’s last basket came when Johnathon Brown scored on a putback to give the Pirates a 76-71 lead. Reedley closed to within 76-75 and made a steal, but Dilpreet Thind got back on defense to block a shot that would have given Reedley the lead with 22 seconds left. Brown then rebounded Reedley’s missed shot and was fouled, but it was only Reedley’s fifth team foul.

Reedley eventually committed its seventh team foul on Mikey Hidalgo with 13.4 seconds left. Hidalgo made both foul shots to give PC a 78-75 lead. PC then was able to preserve the win on defense in the end.

Porterville trailed 18-13, but Lee hit a three to begin a 13-2 run that gave PC a 26-20 lead. Reedley came back to go up 34-32, but PC caught fire as Hidalgo hit a three to give Porterville a 35-34 lead. Lee then hit three straight threes to give the Pirates a 44-38 lead late in the first half.

After Reedley went up 45-44 early in the second half, Porterville went on 16-4 run to take a 60-49 lead. Kameron Hoyt began the run with a three to give PC a 47-45 lead. The run ended with Brown scoring inside and he was fouled. He converted the three-point play to give PC a 60-49 led.

After Reedley closed to within 64-62, Hoyt hit a three to give PC a 67-62 lead. Lee scored his last basket of the night when he hit his seventh three to up Porterville up 70-64.

Lee scored 27 points, Hoyt had 12 points, Hidalgo had 11 points and Brown added nine points. Porterville was also able to win with a limited contribution from one of its top players, Jason Carmichael.

Carmichael saw limited playing time in the first half and didn’t play at all in the second half due to a back injury. Carmichael scored five points.

WRESTLING

The Monache and Granite Hills wrestling teams continued strong showings at their respective tournaments over the weekend.

Matt Gamble won his second straight title for Monache at 106 pounds, following his crown at the Kern County Invitational with a title at the tough California Invitational Tournament in Morro Bay on Saturday. Gamble beat a Foothill wrestler 10-3 in the finals. “He had a great tournament,” Monache coach Arthur Demerath said.

Monache had four wrestlers advance to the second day of the tournament and two other wrestlers place along with Gamble. Seth Hood (113) placed fourth and Ryan Poe (120) took seventh. Joey Ryan was eliminated in a 9-5 loss on Saturday to the Valley’s No. 7 ranked wrestler from Kingsburg.

The Marauders finished 13th out of 71 teams with 106.5 points and was within striking range of second place. Lemoore won the tournament with 193 points and Simi Valley was second with 139 points. “I thought 13th place out of 71 teams was a pretty good result,” Demerath said.

Meanwhhile for Granite Hills, Bailio Arroyo (126) won a title at the Mission Oak Tournament. Granite had seven wrestlers place in the event as it finished fifth. Granite was in the race for third place before Exeter pulled away with 148.5 points. Kerman also overtook Granite for third in the second to last match, edging the Grizzlies by 1.5 poins, 131.5-130. Hoover won the event with 169.5 points and Mission Oak was second with 162.5.

Arroyo pinned Mission Oak’s Delano Hendrix in the finals for the title. Also for Granite, Danny Jacuinde (170) took second, losing in the finals to Anthony Navarro, the state’s No. 17 ranked wrestler. In addition for Granite, Martin Ayala (138) took second, Tyler Jones (160) was fifth, Ruben Arreola (132) was fifth, Antonio Parra (220) was fourth and Ruben Corona (heavyweight) was second.