MAXWELL, CA (MPG) – After a three-year drought, the Williams Yellowjacket varsity boy’s basketball team was back on top at Maxwell’s Irene Wells Tournament.
In the 71st rendition of the annual event, the ‘Jackets put some of their highest point totals of the season on the board as they defeated Faith Christian, Round Valley and CORE Butte to edge the host Panthers on point differential and capture the championship.
Williams began the tournament on Dec. 12 with a 50-10 romp over Faith Christian behind 18 points from Emmanuel Juarez and an additional 10 from Joziah Rivera, effectively snapping a five-game skid that plagued the Yellowjackets in the early season.
On the following evening the ‘Jackets took care of business against Round Valley (Covelo) 50-37.
Miguel Murillo dropped in 18 points, Diego Ambriz finished with 12 points and Seth Davalos chipped in with nine.
Playing in the finale on Dec. 14, Williams got 14 points from the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, Diego Ambriz, 11 from Juarez and nine from Rivera as it prevailed 47-36 over CORE Butte.
Murillo and Davalos received All-Tournament nods for the Yellowjackets.
Second place Maxwell, looking more in sync on the court after an extended football season left it short on practice time, posted wins over Round Valley, CORE Butte and Princeton to remain unbeaten on the season.
In their 59-49 victory over Round Valley to open the tournament, Noel Velazquez led the Panthers with a 20 point, 20 rebound double-double, Macklin Kuska finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Cristian Lara went for 13 points.
Against a winless CORE Butte team on Dec. 13, Kuska recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards as Maxwell triumphed 33-22.
To close out the competition, the Panthers overpowered Princeton 50-36, as they dominated in the paint.
All-Tournament selections Karter Burt and Kuska had 12 and eight points respectively, with Lara ending the night with 10.
Overall, Maxwell coach Tomas Mendiola liked what he saw from his team’s performance, saying, “We moved the ball and played well. We still have some things to work on, but we’re going to compete.”
Defending champion Princeton, adjusting to playing without sharp-shooting Junior Andrade, who graduated last spring, won its first two games over CORE Butte and Faith Christian before falling to Maxwell, which left them in third place.
Facing CORE Butte, Nate Ramirez poured in a game-high 21 points, while Chris Roberson had a double-double that included 23 rebounds and 13 points as the Eagles won out 50-33.
In an easy 49-17 victory over Faith Christian, All-Tournament picks Ramirez and Roberson paced the Eagles, with Ramirez dropping 20 points and Roberson tallying 15 boards and nine points.
Closing out the tournament against the Panthers, Princeton struggled mightily with their shots, scoring only two points in both the first and third quarters, although Ramirez finished with a game-high 18 points and Roberson doubled up again with 10 points to go along with 10 rebounds.
This week Williams (3-5) was in Winters on Monday ahead of traveling to Colusa’s Georgia Raczniak Tournament, Maxwell (4-0) hit the road to play Los Molinos on Dec. 16 then opened play at the Hamilton City Tournament on Dec. 19, while Princeton (3-3) made its way to Los Molinos on Thursday for the Block LM Tournament.