Turlock, Beyer, Manteca stumble down the stretch in Holiday Hoop losses

The Turlock and Beyer basketball teams slipped deeper into the consolation bracket at the 18th annual Holiday Hoop Classic.

Neither will have much time to correct the mistakes that doomed them late in Thursday’s games.

Beyer was positioned for a win after three quarters, but Freedom finished with a 24-13 charge to keep its consolation title hopes alive. The Patriots (6-7) have lost three straight games and four of their last five.

Jabbar Wade scored 15 points and Joe Scully buried two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter for the Falcons (6-6), which will play Weston Ranch on Friday.

The Cougars (7-2), guided by Beyer alumnus Chris Teevan, held off the Bulldogs in the final morning game, 77-69. Weston Ranch made nine of its 15 free throws in the fourth.

Makhi Turner took the reins, tallying nine of his team-high 23 points over the final 8 minutes. He was five of six from the free-throw line as the Cougars, a Valley Oak League title contender, stretched the lead.

Turlock trailed by just one after the third, 54-53, but stumbled down the stretch. In succession, the Bulldogs missed a layup, turned the ball over in the paint, and allowed an offensive rebound that Turner turned into a scooping layup.

Adrian Espinoza led Turlock with 18 points, but had just four in the second half. Arik Bains chipped in 10, while Cameran Sherwood netted eight in the loss.

Beyer’s collapse was a little more pronounced.

The Patriots led 33-29 after three quarters, but couldn’t withstand another 3-point barrage. One night after giving up 14 3-pointers in a loss to San Joaquin Memorial, Beyer was burned by three 3s in the fourth quarter.

Ben Polack and Kris Fore scored in double figures for the second straight game. Polack followed his 25-point performance on Wednesday with a team-high 15 on three 3s against the Falcons.

Six-foot-7 senior Kris Fore had 12 points. No other Patriots player had more than four.

The penalty: Another 9 o’clock tip, this time against Turlock.

Manteca will play the loser of Buchanan-Vanden in a 10:30 a.m. contest. The Buffaloes were beaten by Ripon, 53-46.

Vincent Olmo led the way with 19 points. The 6-foot-8 junior scored nine points in the third quarter as the Indians seized a 36-33 lead.

Ripon trailed by as many as 12 in the first half. The Indians (6-6) clawed back with a wave of 3s.

Kyle Sisk, Troy Brogan, Adam Wood and Olmo connected from beyond the arc during a 19-6 push in the third.

The Buffaloes (3-8) tied the game on a baseline jumper by Kyle Bolding with 3:31 left in the game. Ripon opened the door with five consecutive turnovers, but Manteca could not capitalize — or save itself from a three-game skid.

Brogan gave Ripon the lead for good with a 3 from the top of the arc with 1:28 left.

This story was originally published December 28, 2017 at 2:38 PM with the headline "Turlock, Beyer, Manteca stumble down the stretch in Holiday Hoop losses."