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Sierra offense stalls in 2nd half of loss to Patterson
Patterson-Sierra girls basketball
Sierra’s Taylor Zalunardo (1) gets past Patterson’s Takhiya Hardin and into the defense of Joliz Uhatafe. - photo by DAVE CAMPBELL

 Sierra picked the wrong time to go cold Thursday night.

The Timberwolves led visiting Patterson by two points at halftime, only to score just five points in the first 12 minutes of the second half, as the Tigers came from behind to win the Valley Oak League girls basketball tilt, 36-30.

Patterson-Sierra girls basketball
Sierra’s Janessa Barnes goes for the save.
“It was definitely a tough night,” Sierra coach Rudy Valencia said. “I was really confident coming into tonight’s game, and I thought the girls were really locked in.

“Patterson plays a very physical style of basketball, and we knew that because we had played them before, so I don’t think it was anything we shouldn’t have expected.”

The Timberwolves (3-4 VOL, 8-10 overall) led 20-18 going into the third quarter despite putting up 21 first-half turnovers, finishing with 36 total.

One of the reasons for Sierra’s second-half scoring drought was a rebounding clinic by Patterson (5-2, 19-4) in the third quarter with 15, finishing with 34 to 43 for the Timberwolves.

“We really stressed rebounds at halftime,” Tigers coach Breann Atchison said. “We’re not a very tall team, and we’re young, so that is one area we have been lacking in this whole year.

“Rebounding is hustle and who wants it more, and after telling them that at

Patterson-Sierra girls basketball
Sierra’s Emalina Latu (left) and Alison Cozby battle with Patterson’s Kailani Ortiz for the ball.
halftime, they really stepped it up in the third quarter.”

Mya Everett led the Sierra attack with 12 points, seven rebounds and seven blocks. Janessa Barnes (four points) anchored the Timberwolves defense with 12 rebounds, four blocks and two steals, with Emalina Latu (two points) adding 11 rebounds and three blocks.

Patterson’s Takhiya Hardin led all scorers with 14 points and Alyse Lomeli added 11 points.

Sierra travels to East Union on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.


Junior varsity

Sierra 48, Patterson 33

Priya Dhaliwal paced the Timberwolves with 14 points, followed by Kaylee Diego with 12 points and Noora Kaur with 11.