Manteca's Sierra sends D3 message with rout of Ceres boys

MANTECA -- Twenty seconds after the tip Wednesday night, Guillermo Nunez drained Sierra High's first shot, a baseline triple.

Ceres responded with a nervous turnover, then Caden Johnson's layup in transition was swatted away by the Timberwolves' Justin Patton.

So started the Sierra tsunami, a tidal wave that drowned the Bulldogs almost before they exited the bus.

The first-round Sac-Joaquin Section Division 3 game soon transitioned into a physics lesson taught by the faster, quicker and stronger home team, 66-25.

"Teammates were finding teammates. We were sharing the ball," said Nunez, Sierra's three-year varsity standout after his six 3-pointers and 24 points. "We were diving for loose balls. We were just ready to play."

Ceres (14-13) hoped it had washed away the memory of a 60-38 loss to Sierra on the same court nearly three months ago. Indeed, the Bulldogs won four of their last five games.

Things changed, all right. Sierra (24-4) grew into a beast.

The Timberwolves hung a second-period bagel, a 21-0 blitz and a 42-4 halftime deficit on their shellshocked guests. A fourth-period running clock brought the proceedings to a humane end.

"They were prepared. We just stayed on our heels," said Ceres guard Jim Pernetti, one of the Bulldogs' two seniors. "Those guys are great every year. You know they'll hit you. You've gotta hit them back."

No counter-punch was thrown, however, and Ceres was chased home while No. 2-seeded Sierra awaits a visit from Placer — a 62-59 victor over Inderkum — Friday night.

Sierra's energy and pace, often ratcheted up immediately, are calling cards of veteran coach Scott Thomason. Fending off the early storm, and answering with some thunderclouds, is a must for any Timberwolves opponent.

But Sierra's opening riff against Ceres wasn't your standard issue rally. Nunez and fellow guard Eric Melgar (11 points) netted five of their first six tries from the arc, the beginning of a 9-for-14 3-point strafing.

Defensively, Sierra choked passing lanes and stole the ball, thus triggering one fast break after the next. Ceres was forced into a speed it couldn't sustain while Sierra attached assists to most of its hoops.

"Ceres is a good team. You have to be good to get here," Thomason offered. "We just made them look bad tonight.

"If Sierra was stung by its late-season loss to Weston Ranch that resulted in a Valley Oak League co-title, it showed no after-effects. Thomason, mirroring his team's hustle, sometimes trotted his subs from the bench to the scorer's table.

The message: Sierra, a section finalist a year ago, aims for more. Much more.

"Our guys were just hungry," Thomason said. "Our team wants to take the program to the next level."

Sac-Joaquin SectionBasketball Playoffs

BOYS

Wednesday's Results

Division 1

Golden Valley 50, Oak Ridge 49

Franklin (EG) 67, Turlock 65

Division 2

Burbank 76, Gregori 54

Cosumnes Oaks 89,Buhach Colony 88

Division 3

Modesto Chr. 58, Manteca 16

Sierra 66, Ceres 25

Patterson 68, Vanden 61

Casa Roble 80, East Union 60

Division 4

Riverbank 83, Waterford 46

Summerville 70, Delhi 33

Colfax 75, Hughson 48

West Campus 73, Escalon 63

Liberty Ranch 75, Mariposa 48

Encina 75, Ripon 60

Division 6

Turlock Christian 70, Lodi Academy 53

Friday's Games

Division 1

Bethel at Golden Valley

Division 3

Fairfield at Modesto Christian, Placer at Sierra, Patterson at Casa Roble

Division 4

Bret Harte at Riverbank, Encina at Summerville

Division 5

Buckingham Charter at Central Catholic, Delta Charter at Ripon Christian

Division 6

Turlock Christian at Faith Christian

GIRLS

Wednesday's game

Division 4

Ripon 54, Bret Harte 30

Tonight's Games

Division 2

Florin at Gregori

Division 3

Modesto Christian at Rio Americano

Patterson at Placer

Manteca at Vanden

Division 4

Ripon at Argonaut

Division 5

Woodland Christian at Ripon Christian

Foresthill at Turlock Christian

Central Catholic at Brookside Christian