Basketball Recap: Luke Otterson's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Sonora over Merced

Sonora was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They were four points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 53-49 heartbreaker at the hands of the Merced Bears. The Wildcats were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Bears apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in December of 2022.

Several Wildcats players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Luke Otterson, who made all 6 shots he took to post 12 points and four steals. Eli Ingalls was another key player, going 5 of 7 on his way to 11 points and seven rebounds.

Aiden Matsuo was a one-man wrecking crew for Merced as he went 7 of 9 on his way to 18 points along with seven rebounds and three steals. Those 18 points gave Matsuo a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Diego Aguilar, who posted 13 points.

Sonora's loss dropped their record down to 8-6. As for Merced, they pushed their record up to 9-7 with the win, which was their third straight on the road.

Sonora didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next contest, a 78-57 victory against Livingston on the 3rd. As for Merced, they and Bear Creek will meet on Tuesday for a tough Bear Battle. Bear Creek is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 56.1 points per game this season.