MODESTO -- Confidence can make a good shooter great.
Grace Davis' Nate MeGee shot with confidence on Friday night, knocking down five 3-pointers on his way to a 22-point effort to help propel the Spartans to the Modesto City Classic championship game tonight with a 61-55 win over Downey at Downey High.
Davis will play Central Catholic tonight at Downey at 7:30 for the tournament title.
"Nate made a gigantic 3 for us (Thursday) night to help us win. Today, he believed he was a good shooter and made some big shots," said Spartans coach Dan Pacheco, whose team improved to 3-0 in the tournament. "He also was big for as at the end, making five of six free throws."
Davis ended the first quarter with a 12-0 run to take a 16-10 lead.
MeGee and Co. then took control of the game on defense, holding the Knights (2-1) without a field goal over a stretch of 7 minutes, 54 seconds. Davis outscored Downey 15-2 from the last 3:09 of the first half and the first 4:45 of the second half as the Spartans stretched their lead out to 36-21.
"I thought it was big for us to score the first two baskets of the second half," Pacheco said. "Then everyone started looking at the scoreboard and slowing down."
The Knights made a run in the fourth quarter as Aaron Zwahlen scored 19 of his game-high 23 points in the final period. Downey cut the deficit to eight points a couple times midway through the fourth quarter.
However, the Knights could only get within five points in the final seconds.
• PITMAN 51, MANTECA 47 — Branson Garcia scored 18 points, including four treys, as the Pride came back in the second half to defeat the Buffaloes.
• GOLDEN VALLEY 68, ATWATER 47 — Christian Carroll drained four 3-pointers on his way to a career-high 25 points as the Cougars pulled away in the second half to defeat the Falcons.
• MODESTO 83, LOS BANOS 65 — Jimmale Horton scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Panthers to their first win of the Modesto City Classic.
Today's games
at Downey High
• Championship: Central Catholic vs. Davis, 7:30 p.m.
• Third Place: Turlock vs. Downey, 6 p.m.
Consolation Bracket9 a.m.: Johansen vs. LB
10:30 a.m.: Gregori vs. Modesto
Noon: Enochs vs. Manteca
1:30 p.m.: Lathrop vs. Atwater
3 p.m.:Merced vs. GV
4:30 p.m.: Beyer vs. Pitman
Friday's Results
•Semifinal: Grace Davis 61, Downey 55
• Semifinal: Central Catholic 62, Turlock 52
Consolation BracketGregori 52, Johansen 50; Merced 53, Lathrop 39; Beyer 62, Enochs 60 (OT); Golden Valley 68, Atwater 47; Modesto 83, Los Banos 65; Pitman 51, Manteca 47
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