It has been a rough go for the Buffaloes (3-7, 8-16 overall), who lost much of the core of their Valley Oak League co-championship team to graduation.

They’re coming off their best week season, which included a revenge win over a rival and a near-upset of a 20-win team. Reese was a driving force in both contests, as she followed up one season-high scoring effort with another.

The sprightly 5-foot-7 senior guard netted 17 points, 13 rebounds, six steals and three assists in a 53-44 win over Sierra last Tuesday, Feb. 4. Reese did not play in Manteca’s previous showdown with the Timberwolves, who surged late for the 57-49 victory on Jan. 9.

“Kalaja brings energy, and it’s kind of hard to stop when she’s just going, going, going,” Manteca coach Oscar Calix said. “That’s what she does. We tell her we’re going to let you off the leash and let you do what you do. She forces turnovers and lets us play fast in transition.

“Not having her last time really hurt, especially it being a close game. She can make that kind of impact for us.”

Reese also received plaudits from fellow senior Michailla Springs, who poured in a game-high 22 points in the rematch with Sierra. It’s the first time all season that the Buffaloes had scored at 50 points in a game.

“I feel like the whole season, we haven’t really jelled as a team, but tonight, our seniors like Kalaja did a good job of stepping up. We just had that leadership on the court, and we played together.”

On Thursday, Reese scored 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field — including two 3s — to go with three steals in a 47-45 loss to third-place Patterson. The visiting Tigers jumped out to a 17-6 first-quarter lead, but Reese helped lead the comeback with her usual energy and efficient shooting.

For the season, she is averaging 5.9 points and 3.5 steals. Manteca ends the season Thursday at East Union.