Buhach Colony boys basketball rolls

ATWATER -- Aaron Cochran's confidence was waning.

For the better part of two weeks nothing seemed to stay down for the Buhach Colony High center and he was becoming a gun shy.

All that changed on Tuesday night at the Thunder Dome. Cochran erupted for 12 points in the fourth quarter en route to a team- and season-high 19 points as the Thunder pulled away from McNair 89-67.

"I was finally able to score," said Cochran, who added 11 rebounds and four blocks. "It just seemed like everything had been going in and out for me.

"My confidence was shot, so it was nice to get on a little run."

Cochran wasn't the only Buhach player to have a monster night as the Thunder's size and depth proved too much for the Eagles (5-6).

Joe Marquez (18 points), Roger Klauser (19), Stephen Hillyer (16) and Kaden Verdin (14) all scored in double digits. Klauser and Verdin joined Cochran with double-doubles, each hauling in a team-high 14 rebounds.

"There's no doubt that our depth is a strength," Thunder head coach John Bliss said. "On any given night, 10, 11 and 12 guys could see time for us.

"We know we have an advantage over most teams with our big men and we feel like we have solid guard play to balance it out.

"We didn't get back from Rocklin until midnight last night, and then the kids got up and came to school today, so they were tired.

"I think that contributed to some of the sloppiness in the first half. But we moved the ball better today and looked to set up other people, so I thought it was a pretty good bounce-back."

Buhach (8-2) scored the first nine points of the game and never trailed.

Marcus Cotton did his best to keep McNair in it, scoring a game-high 28 points. The Eagles just didn't have the horses to keep pace.

Marquez had a personal 5-0 run to put BC up 21 midway through the third quarter. The Eagles trimmed the lead to 12, but Cochran helped finish things off with his big fourth quarter.

GV 73, Enochs 58

TRACY -- Evan Stillahn's 23 points helped put the Cougars in the semifinals of the Tracy Tournament.

Brookside Chr. 83,

Le Grand 34

LE GRAND -- Victor Martinez led Le Grand with 10 points in a lopsided loss.

Gregori 58, Atwater 50

ATWATER -- Ben Peterson's 20 points couldn't stop the Falcons from falling to Gregori for the second time this season.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Merced 67,

Livingston 20

Dalonna Jones' 23 points and 18 rebounds led Merced past the Wolves.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

MC 60, Laney 50

STOCKTON -- Sonji Green's 18 points helped lead MC into today's Delta Tournament title game.