A large crowd assembled in Colusa’s Don Bransford Gymnasium last Friday night to see the visiting Pierce Bears spoil the hometown RedHawks’ homecoming, after posting a convincing 62-44 win over their county and league rival.
Although it was a relatively slow first half that ended with Colusa holding a 21-19 advantage, the Bears, who played well defensively throughout the game, were building momentum as they reeled in the RedHawks.
A basket-and-one by Guillermo Jauregui gave Pierce the lead, with 6:26 remaining in the third quarter, and sparked a 10-3 run by the Bears that ultimately broke the game open.
In the second half, the Bears dominated all facets of the physical game, winning the battle on the boards, moving the ball with a purpose, and out running the RedHawks in transition.
Overall, it was a performance that pleased Pierce’s coach Cody McCullough.
“I could not be more proud of our effort and ability to step up and perform in a high-pressure atmosphere,” said McCullough. “We did not have any stretches of bad basketball in the game, which is something we have struggled with.”
Earlier in the preseason, the Bears tested themselves against some tough teams and lost games that they could have won, however McCullough believes his squad is now starting to hit its stride.
“We have finally strung together a solid number of practices and games with a full roster,” McCullough added. “There was a multi-week stretch where we had COVID issues and injuries playing a big role in our operations.”
Against the RedHawks, Bryce Murphy dropped a game-high 16 points, while Jauregui finished with 11 points, and Ryan Travis pitched in with 10 points.
It was a rough evening for Colusa, who saw their four game win streak come to an end, as they struggled against the Bears’ man-to-man defense, shooting just 26 percent from the floor, and then adding insult to injury by missing 17 free throws.
Ethan Lay had a team-high 11 points for the RedHawks, who got an additional nine points from Landon Humphrey.
As a result of the contest, Pierce (10-7, 3-0) sits tied with Durham atop the Sacramento Valley League standings, while Colusa (8-7, 1-1) currently finds itself mid-pack among the eight teams.
This week, the Bears welcomed Winters to Natalie Corona Gymnasium on Jan. 18, and rounds out the week Friday on the road in Paradise.
Colusa played at home on Tuesday against Willows, hosts Sutter in a non-league contest tonight, then makes its way to Trowbridge to face East Nicolaus on Friday night. ■
