Athletes of The Week

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Large Schools

BROOKE SILVA
Los Banos basketball

There won't be any surprises when the Tigers take the court to open the Central California Conference season Tuesday: Opponents will be keeping a close eye on Silva.

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The Stanislaus District's No. 2 scorer with 19.1 points a game, Silva's been the key to the Tigers' 8-6 start. She led Los Banos to three wins last week, averaging 21.3 points a game and scoring 25 in a 63-31 win over Patterson.

She's topped 20 points six times, scoring a season-high 29 in mid-December during a 53-49 win over Tokay of Lodi. The Tigers visit Golden Valley in next week's CCC opener, a game that features the conference's leading scorers — Silva and GV's Porsha Grayson at 18.9 points.

Silva is ranked eighth in the section in scoring and trails only four-year Le Grand standout Jennifer Hansen (20.4 points) in the district.

ALLEN HUDDLESTON
Merced basketball

It certainly didn't take long for Huddleston to make the transition from football to basketball. It was just a few weeks ago that he was leading the Bears to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I semifinal, and now he's leading the Stanislaus District in scoring for basketball.

The senior guard, who has signed a letter of intent with the University of the Pacific, struck for 50 points in a 94-89 loss to Modesto Christian and then scored 32 in a 77-66 loss to Colony of Ontario in the first two rounds of the Modesto Christian tournament.

He combined for 68 points in the last two games of the tournament, wins over Turlock and Ripon, and has scored at least 30 points five consecutive games. While it's early in the season, Huddleston leads not only the section with his 35.7 points a game, but is also tops in all of California.

Small Schools

JENNIFER HANSEN
Le Grand basketball

It's about time for the Hansen farewell tour, a fitting tribute to the four-year starter who is equally adept whether shooting from the perimeter, driving hard to the basket or denying the opponent's best player an open shot.

Hansen averaged 17.4 points a game and was an All-District selection as a junior, but has started this season with an even hotter hand — putting in 20.4 points a night.

She scored 24 in a 65-34 win over Buhach Colony, hitting 9 of 9 from the free-throw line, then scored 20 in a 47-45 win over Redwood Christian in the opening round of the prestigious West Coast Jamboree.

Hansen scored a season-high 34 in a 59-54 win over Head-Royce in mid-December. What was remarkable about the game is that Hansen went to the free-throw line 31 times — and converted 22.

MATT RATTO<br/>Ripon basketball

It's been a rough start to the season for the Indians, but that was the plan when coach Rod Taylor decided to put together a schedule that would challenge any basketball team — whether large or small school — in the Stanislaus District.

Ratto hasn't shied away from the challenge, though, as he averaged 18.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, three assists and a steal in the Indians' three games last week. He also hit 11 3-pointers, twice getting five in a game.

He had 19 points — hitting five of eight 3-point shots — in a 66-51 loss to defending state Division III runner-up Sacramento to open the Modesto Christian tournament. The 5-foot-11-inch junior had 19 points, six rebounds and five assists in a 71-51 win over Big Valley Christian.

The Indians are 5-8 after losing to Merced in the final game of the MC tournament.

— RICHARD T. ESTRADA