Local hoops roundup: PHS boys roll past Tulare Western

The first quarter didn’t seem to be an indication of what was to come. Even though the Porterville boys basketball team was leading 7-5, no one could have expected the Panthers to score 62 points over the next three quarters. Especially with senior leader Courtland Duckworth plagued by foul trouble.

But that’s what happened as Porterville put its most impressive of the year together in a 69-52 win over one of the East Yosemite League’s upper echelon teams in Tulare Western on Wednesday at Sharman Gym. Most importantly, PHS took a huge step toward a playoff berth as it improved to 6-6 in the EYL.

“The boys played really hard,” Porterville coach Lance Wallace told Valleysportslive.com. “It started at the defensive end for us.”

PHS was also able to exploit Western’s pressure. “We were able to get some easy transition looks,” Wallace said. “I feel our kids are hitting their stride right now. I feel we’re playig our best basketball of the year, especially defensively.”

Porterville trailed 18-12 when Duckworth checked back into the game with 3 minutes, 20 seconds left in the first half. PHS went on to take a 27-23 halftime lead as it went on an 8-0 run to end the half. PHS went on to outscore Western 25-9 in the third quarter to take a 52-32 lead and led by as much as 59-36.

Duckworth and Zach Hill each scored 15 points, Isaiah Moreno had 15 points, Zack Ward had 11 points and Anthony Flores added six points. Moreno also had a strong defensive game, with five blocks and taking three charges.

MONACHE GIRLS 78, DELANO 27

Emily Hardin scored 15 points, Dominique Pilkinton had 13 points, Jenae Alcantar and Ale Tobie each had 12 points, Selena Montgomery had 10 points and Crissy Lopez added eight points to lead Monache (13-0 in the EYL).

GRANITE GIRLS 57, KENNEDY 32

Ashlee Halopoff scored 17 points, Yo Sasarith had 16 points, Elena Galvez had nine points and Lupita Flores added eight points to lead Granite.

MONACHE FROSH GIRLS 49, DELANO 37

Bailey Margosian hit three threes on her way to scoring 17 points, Karina Garcia had 15 points and Electa Wright added seven points to lead Monache’s freshmen (17-0, 13-0). On Friday, Monache beat Granite Hills 43-2. Sara Hann scored nine points and Hope Avila and Brooke Baumgardner each added six points to lead Monache.

PHS FROSH GIRLS

PORTERVILLE 32, WESTERN 17

Maddy Covert scored 14 points, Sammy Flynn had five points, Brandy Rico and Kayleigh Berra each had four points, Cassy Norris had three points and Carolyn Cohea added two points for Porterville’s freshmen (9-3 in the EYL). Berra also had an outstanding defensive game with 10 steals.

GRANITE JV GIRLS 34, KENNEDY 7

Janele Cerda scored 13 points and Shelby Lozano added seven points to lead Granite’s junior varsity.

DELANO 51, MONACHE JV GIRLS 45

Tarah Patterson had a huge game for Monache’s junior varsity with 28 points, but it wasn’t enough for Monache. Alyssa Cabeje added five points to help lead Monache.

The first quarter didn’t seem to be an indication of what was to come. Even though the Porterville boys basketball team was leading 7-5, no one could have expected the Panthers to score 62 points over the next three quarters. Especially with senior leader Courtland Duckworth plagued by foul trouble.

But that’s what happened as Porterville put its most impressive of the year together in a 69-52 win over one of the East Yosemite League’s upper echelon teams in Tulare Western on Wednesday at Sharman Gym. Most importantly, PHS took a huge step toward a playoff berth as it improved to 6-6 in the EYL.

“The boys played really hard,” Porterville coach Lance Wallace told Valleysportslive.com. “It started at the defensive end for us.”

PHS was also able to exploit Western’s pressure. “We were able to get some easy transition looks,” Wallace said. “I feel our kids are hitting their stride right now. I feel we’re playig our best basketball of the year, especially defensively.”

Porterville trailed 18-12 when Duckworth checked back into the game with 3 minutes, 20 seconds left in the first half. PHS went on to take a 27-23 halftime lead as it went on an 8-0 run to end the half. PHS went on to outscore Western 25-9 in the third quarter to take a 52-32 lead and led by as much as 59-36.

Duckworth and Zach Hill each scored 15 points, Isaiah Moreno had 15 points, Zack Ward had 11 points and Anthony Flores added six points. Moreno also had a strong defensive game, with five blocks and taking three charges.

MONACHE GIRLS 78, DELANO 27

Emily Hardin scored 15 points, Dominique Pilkinton had 13 points, Jenae Alcantar and Ale Tobie each had 12 points, Selena Montgomery had 10 points and Crissy Lopez added eight points to lead Monache (13-0 in the EYL).

GRANITE GIRLS 57, KENNEDY 32

Ashlee Halopoff scored 17 points, Yo Sasarith had 16 points, Elena Galvez had nine points and Lupita Flores added eight points to lead Granite.

MONACHE FROSH GIRLS 49, DELANO 37

Bailey Margosian hit three threes on her way to scoring 17 points, Karina Garcia had 15 points and Electa Wright added seven points to lead Monache’s freshmen (17-0, 13-0). On Friday, Monache beat Granite Hills 43-2. Sara Hann scored nine points and Hope Avila and Brooke Baumgardner each added six points to lead Monache.

PHS FROSH GIRLS

PORTERVILLE 32, WESTERN 17

Maddy Covert scored 14 points, Sammy Flynn had five points, Brandy Rico and Kayleigh Berra each had four points, Cassy Norris had three points and Carolyn Cohea added two points for Porterville’s freshmen (9-3 in the EYL). Berra also had an outstanding defensive game with 10 steals.

GRANITE JV GIRLS 34, KENNEDY 7

Janele Cerda scored 13 points and Shelby Lozano added seven points to lead Granite’s junior varsity.

DELANO 51, MONACHE JV GIRLS 45

Tarah Patterson had a huge game for Monache’s junior varsity with 28 points, but it wasn’t enough for Monache. Alyssa Cabeje added five points to help lead Monache.