Ohlone, Yuba off to fast starts at 78th Modesto JC basketball tourney
The first day of action in the 78th annual Modesto Junior College Basketball Tournament started Tuesday with Ohlone College of Fremont and Yuba College punching tickets to the winners’ bracket.
Ohlone defeated Cosumnes River 73-55 in the opener, with Yuba running past Porterville 90-71 in the second game.
Game 3, featuring Chabot, led by former Columbia coach Denny Aye, and Contra Costa, was not concluded by press time.
In the opener, 6-foot-8 Ohlone freshman Cameron Niven led all scorers with 14 points, including 12 in the second half, as the Renegades pulled away after leading 32-28 at halftime. Teammates Taylor Meeker (12) and Maurice Jordan (11) joined Niven in double figures.
Cosumnes River was paced by Leondre Lintz with 10 points.
The Renegades were an efficient 12 of 15 (80 percent) from the free-throw line, while the Hawks – coached by Devin Aye, son of the Chabot coach – hit just 11 of 23 (48 percent).
Yuba jumped out to a 26-point halftime lead, thanks largely to 19 points from 6-foot-3 sophomore guard JoJo Zamora, who finished with 24 to lead all scorers.
Sophomore Vasilje Saraba scored 17 of his 19 in the first half for Yuba, including four three-pointers.
While Zamora and Saraba cooled in the second half, teammate Emmanuel Malou, a 6-9 sophomore, took over with 17 of his 19 coming in the final 20 minutes.
Ricky Stokes led Porterville with 17 points, while Travis Flagg scored 16, all but one in the second half. Davy Baltus scored 13.
The third member of the Aye coaching family saw action Tuesday when Tyson Aye’s Allan Hancock Bulldogs faced Sacramento City in the 8 p.m. game. Results were not available by press time.
Host Modesto Junior College plays Wednesday at 6 p.m. against Bristol University’s junior varsity squad. Columbia College takes on Mendocino at 4 p.m.Wednesday.
Chabot 75, Contra Costa 70 – Chabot erased a four-point halftime deficit by sinking 17 of 21 free throws in the second half to top Contra Costa. Keith Phillips led the Gladiators (9-2) to their fourth straight win with 22 points and Wykeem Randle added 19. Rae Jackson hit four triples en route to 22 for Contra Costa (5-5).
Hancock 82, Sacramento 66 – Shane Carney drained four three-pointers in the second half as Hancock rallied from a 31-31 halftime deficit for the win. Carney finished with 16 points for the Bulldogs (6-5) to lead a balanced attack. Hancock connected on 12 triples and Sacramento had eight. Arnie Vargas paced the Panthers (6-4) with 14 points.
This story was originally published December 15, 2015 at 7:58 PM with the headline "Ohlone, Yuba off to fast starts at 78th Modesto JC basketball tourney."