After letting Hughson stick around into the second quarter Thursday night, the tournament host Manteca girls basketball team rode the hot hand of Brea Vieira with three second-quarter 3-pointers, finishing the first half on a 17-3 run on the way to a 68-43 win in opening-round action of the Manteca Christmas Classic.

Vieira finished with a game-high 20 points behind six 3-pointers along with five assists, four rebounds and three steals.

With Vieira patrolling the perimeter, Izzy Sanchez dominated the paint for the Buffaloes (9-1), putting up a double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and four steals.

“It’s hard going full-court press because you get really tired,” Sanchez said. “But you have to give it your all and always go for the ball.”

Manteca was glad to be back in its home gym after suffering its first loss of the year at Atwater 68-37 on Monday.

“This was definitely a good bounce-back win after taking our first loss against Atwater,” Buffaloes coach Oscar Calix said. “The girls played good offensively. Brea (Vierira) shot the ball well and that’s what we need is our seniors – Jada (Ikharo), Izzy (Sanchez) and Brea – to step up.

“I think they are starting to figure that out and play good basketball together.”

Ikharo directed the Manteca offense, bringing the ball up and down the court and scoring 15 points along with five rebounds, five steals and three assists. The Buffaloes added two more players in double figures with Michailla Springs (four rebounds, three steals) scoring 11 points and Taimanie Tu’uga (four rebounds, three steals) adding 10 points.

Kareena Kang paced the Huskies (3-4) with 13 points.

The Buffaloes face Edison of Stockton tonight at 7:30 in a semifinal contest.