Riverbank rolling along in TVL

RIVERBANK -- It's a fun time to be a Riverbank High basketball player, regardless of the team you're on.

The Bruins' varsity is 20-2 with its only losses to potent Modesto Christian, and the JV's only league losses are to MC. The freshman team has lost just once all season.

"I didn't think we'd be 20-2 at this point, but I thought the whole program would be doing well because of the time these kids put," varsity coach Jeff Jennings said. "When you put in as much work as these guys did, it's going to pay big dividends."

Juniors Kenny Veliz and Rolaun Dunham combined for 35 points in a 64-38 Trans-Valley League rout of Hilmar. The Bruins (20-2, 8-2 TVL) hit nine 3-pointers and led 23-11 after a quarter.

Veliz hit four treys, while Dunham and Alex Reynaga hit two 3-pointers apiece.

"We've hit 11 in a game. It helps having three players who can force the defense to spread," Jennings noted. "If the defense comes out, that opens things for our penetration. We're not big, we top out at 6-2, but we're athletes and we play big."

Dunham (17 points) had 12 rebounds and Veliz (18 points) had eight, as the Bruins again won underneath. Their losses are 70-53 and 59-54 — just two weeks ago.

That's a strong statement, because Riverbank was left with a gaping hole when forward Zack Gonzales (17 points a game) graduated in June. It's replaced the void with a strong starting five.

Dunham, Veliz and Reynaga average double figures, combining for 37 points a game, while center Antony Navarrette and Robert Martinez get six boards a night.

"We played Sonora, and it can 6-8, 6-6, 6-6 ... but quickness gets you rebounds," said Jennings, whose club beat Sonora 67-57 and outrebounded the Wildcats. "It all starts in the weight room, which brings us back to the kids' work ethic."