In sports, it’s said that without rivalries, teams would not be their best because they wouldn’t give their all. And anyone watching the game between the Pierce Bears and Colusa RedHawks last Wednesday night knows how true that adage can be, as both teams gave it everything they had.
As a result, the crowd inside Natalie Corona Gymnasium saw the hometown Bears survive a ferocious rally by the RedHawks and hold on for the 55-53 victory.
At the onset, however, it looked as though it might be a blowout, as Pierce, with its better ball movement and looks from inside the paint, went on a 16-3 run to open the game.
Yet, as the first half wore on, the Bears began settling for the outside shot, and the RedHawks, who at times had five sophomores on the floor, began to claw their way back, finding themselves down 25-20 at halftime.
Midway through the third quarter, Pierce extended its advantage to 10 points, but Colusa, again, refused to go away and were able to cut the lead to six points at 41-35, due in part to a long range buzzer beater by sophomore Landon Humphrey.
As the two teams continued to trade baskets throughout the fourth period, things got even more interesting in the final 90 seconds, as the RedHawks pulled within three and began fouling to stop the clock.
The strategy proved effective, given the Bears missed seven free throws. But in the end, Pierce senior Bryce Murphy knocked down eight of 10 shots, from the charity stripe, over the last 52 seconds that would ultimately preserve the victory.
It was the type of game that Pierce coach Cody McCullough anticipated, but also one that he felt his squad could have put away sooner.
“I expected it to be a close battle knowing that Colusa added some young talent recently, but I’m proud of the fact that we were able to control some of their runs and maintain our composure when the score got close,” said McCullough. “Our poor free throw shooting allowed them back into the game when it should have been out of reach. Still, it says a lot about the heart of this team to still be able to close it out.”
Certainly the Bears physicality also played a role in the win, as they often outmuscled the RedHawks on the inside.
Seniors Daniel Salud and Guillermo Jauregui led Pierce with 13 and 11 points, respectively, with junior Joey Saavedra adding 11 points as well.
For Colusa, who is to be commended for playing hard throughout, Humphrey finished with a game-high 19 points, while fellow sophomore Luke Kalfsbeek tossed in 10 points.
To round out the week, Pierce, perhaps feeling the effects of the emotional win, suffered its first Sacramento Valley League loss in Durham last Friday night, as they went ice cold and fell 55-21.
On the other hand, Colusa (12-9, 4-3) rebounded to cruise by Live Oak 67-48.
Pierce (14-8, 7-1) was in Winters on Tuesday and hosts East Nicolaus Friday night, while the RedHawks closed out their regular season playing in Willows on Tuesday, before returning home to face Winters on Wednesday and Paradise this evening. ■