Modesto JC women fall to Stockton's Delta

STOCKTON -- An injury-ravaged Modesto Junior College women's basketball team collided with a surging San Joaquin Delta team at the wrong time.

The result was a 65-54 Big 8 Conference win for the Mustangs at Blanchard Gym. The Pirates entered Tuesday night's game ranked seventh in Northern California.

Modesto (13-4, 2-1) was minus its leading scorer, Briona Fontenot, who was seriously injured during last week's win at Cosumnes River. The Pirates trailed 33-21 at halftime, though sophomore center Jamie Beck finished the game with 22 points.

Delta (11-5, 3-0) avenged a 57-44 loss to Modesto in the finals of the Las Positas tournament on Nov. 17.

• MJC MEN FALL — The Pirates' six-point halftime lead vanished after Delta drained 10 triples during the second half of its 91-75 win. Modesto (8-8, 0-3) dropped its fourth straight.

Guard Mike Hill and forward Brenden Evans paced MJC with 22 points apiece, but they couldn't keep pace with the Mustangs' Alexander Simmons with 25 points and seven 3-pointers. Delta, which hit 15 3s overall, improved to 2-1 in the Big 8 and 9-6 overall.

"They caught fire and we went cold," MJC coach Paul Brogan said.

Evan Grimes finished with 14 points and Alex Rivera had 10 for Modesto.

The Pirates connected on 10 triples of their own but could not match Delta's firepower in the second half.