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Manteca outlasts McNair in foul fest
Ikharo’s 25 points, 16 rebounds helps Buffs overcome FT struggles
McNair-Manteca girls basketball
Manteca’s Kalaja Reese (5) blocks a shot by McNair’s Anjulie Navarro. - photo by Wayne Thallander

Manteca survived a donnybrook Wednesday night with a 76-55 win over visiting McNair that saw the two teams combine for 44 fouls in non-league girls basketball action at Winter Gym. 

“It was a little scrappier than we wanted it to be,” said Buffaloes freshman coach Chris Kimble, who was filling on for Oscar Calix. “We owed them from last year when they beat us, so we definitely wanted to get one back.

“In the second half, we started to get some shots and we let our defense run the offense and get the ball inside to Izzy (Izabella

McNair-Manteca girls basketball
Manteca’s Jada Ikharo shoots over McNair’s Kalysa Phanhsavang (1).
Sanchez) and let her go to work, even though she got in foul trouble early.”

Despite being fouled 23 times, Manteca (3-0) converted just 10 of 28 free throw attempts.

“I thought we could have had a running clock in this one if we could have made some free throws,” Kimble said. “But we’ll work on it.”

The Buffaloes never trailed, and both teams went on multiple runs with Manteca closing the game out on a 17-5 run. Jada Ikharo posted a double-double for the Buffaloes, leading Manteca with 25 points while leading all players in rebounds with 16 along with three assists, two steals and a block. Ikharo scored six points in that game-ending run.

“We really picked it up and worked together,” Ikharo said. “We didn’t let them get in our heads, and we played our hardest.”

Manteca owned the boards with a 53-27 rebounding advantage. Taimaine Tu’uga and Sanchez posted double-doubles for the Buffaloes, with Tu’uga scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds and Sanchez – despite missing nearly half the game with four trouble – making 10 points and 11 rebounds.

“I really enjoyed this game tonight,” Tu’uga said. “We all communicated well.

“We all balled out.”

Anjulie Navarro did all she could to keep the Eagles (0-3) in the game, scoring 21 of her game-high 28 points in the second half. Teammates Kalysa Phanhsavang added 13 points and Kathalyna Phanhsavang 10.

Manteca takes on Fairfield in a road game Friday night at 7.

 

Junior varsity

Manteca 44, McNair 2

The Buffaloes jumped out to a 16-0 first quarter lead and did the Eagles did not score until the closing seconds of the game.

Talia Shelbourne led Manteca with 14 points and Athena Passion chipped in 10 points.