Riverbank unable to mount comeback in D-4 section final against more experienced Colfax
Friday was a learning experience for the Riverbank girls basketball team.
Playing in the second championship game in program history, the Bruins were the newcomers facing an experienced opponent in Colfax High.
The 29-2 Falcons, winners of the Pioneer Valley League, entered with a 17-game win streak, searching for its 12th blue banner.
The Bruins, competing in the school’s first section title game since 1985, remained competitive, but eventually ran out of steam, falling to Colfax 56-38.
“It feels like a punch in the gut,” head coach Janelle Luu said. “Just that being so close, and then not coming out as our best … I’m already replaying the film and the practices saying, ‘What could I’ve done to help them?’”
Leading scorer Taylor Macias finished with 11 points, Livi Fernandez scored nine and Chancis Gamez added eight. But turnovers did them in. Riverbank gave the ball up 33 times and finished with just 19 takeaways.
“The jitters are there for every (playoff) game,” Luu said. “They wanted to do so well for their crowd, for their city, for their family, that they didn’t let the game come to them.”
The Bruins remained within striking distance in the opening quarter, overcoming early ball security issues, they trailed 7-6 with 3 minutes, 35 seconds left.
For the rest of the quarter, Riverbank was held scoreless as the Falcons went on a 7-0 run to end the frame.
“I think that we went back to our old ways of ‘I’m more talented than you, so I’m going to try to do it on my own,’” Luu said, “and when you get to the section final, you’re playing against someone just as good or better than you.”
No matter how large the deficit, Riverbank fought to close it, but the Falcons always responded.
Colfax answered a Riverbank 5-0 second-quarter run by outscoring the Bruins 9-3.
When the Bruins got closer in the fourth, Colfax turned up the defensive pressure, forcing turnovers and scoring on fast-break opportunities, opening a 20-point advantage.
“We buckled down and made an adjustment in our defense, then we made it a point to swing the ball and have an attack mentality (on offense),” Luu said. “But, when we would go on a run, she would throw a little wrinkle at us and we lost a little bit of composure.”
Colfax sophomore Kaia Diederichs had a career afternoon, scoring a game-high 28 points in 27 minutes.
“Her high post game was magnificent,” Luu said. ”She knew when to flash, she knew when to pop out and she was going hard to the rim. Driving with that much force is hard to stop.”
Despite having its 12-game win streak snapped, Riverbank’s season is not done. The Bruins play in their first ever CIF Northern California Regional Championships next week. Brackets will be released Sunday, Feb. 26.
“This is history,” said Luu, a 2014 Riverbank graduate. “This team might be the best team that’s ever played in that gym and to be their head coach is the honor of a lifetime.”
This story was originally published February 24, 2023 at 6:20 PM.
