Basketball Recap: Samantha Barragan and Averie Steverson Secure Win for Merced

There's no place like home for Merced, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Thursday. They came out on top against the Ripon Indians by a score of 41-33 on Friday. The win was some much needed relief for the Bears as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak dating back to last season.

Leading Merced to victory were Averie Steverson and Samantha Barragan. Steverson posted eight points and 14 boards, while Barragan went 7 of 15 on her way to 14 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Antonia Lejarde, who had four points in addition to seven rebounds and three steals.

Despite the loss, Ripon still got an impressive performance from Leila Sanchez, who put up eight points. Another player making a difference was Anandjap Dhami, who posted six points.

Merced's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-3. As for Ripon, they dropped their record down to 1-4 with the defeat, which was their ninth straight on the road dating back to last season.

Merced didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next match, a 39-25 win against Oakdale on the 7th. As for Ripon, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next game, a 56-41 victory against Golden Valley on the 7th.