Pirates’ men post their fourth win in a row

If nothing else, the Modesto Junior College Pirates finished the regular season with an unexpected rush.

Sophomore guard Zack Gonzales, the hub of the late-season turnaround, tossed in 25 points Friday night to lead the Pirates to their fourth straight win, 63-53 over Diablo Valley. The victory brought MJC to .500 – 13-13 overall and 7-7 for fifth place in the Big 8 Conference.

Modesto’s chances to reach the NorCal playoffs remain doubtful, though they slipped past DVC (14-14, 6-8) if it comes down to one or the other. The playoffs begin Wednesday.

Gonzales, who sat out last season after playing for the Pirates in 2013-14, was slowed for much of the season by injuries and a shooting slump. He eventually found his touch from the perimeter, resulting in his averaging 23.4 points over the last seven games. Gonzales knocked down four of his team’s six three-pointers against the Vikings.

Michael Hatfield, MJC’s 6-foot-8 freshman center, assisted Gonzales with 12 points. Steven Daily paced Diablo Valley with 13 points.

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 9:52 PM with the headline "Pirates’ men post their fourth win in a row."