The Ceres Bulldogs entered their tilt with the Johansen Vikings with five consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with six. Ceres secured a 62-58 W over Johansen on Wednesday. Having run the score up that high, both teams probably have some extra defensive drills coming up.
Ceres' win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Manuel Ortega, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and ten rebounds. Ortega is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Carey Mastin, who scored 11 points along with eight assists and two steals.
Several Vikings players turned in solid performances, despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Caidan Bounmany, who scored 16 points. Bounmany is on a roll when it comes to points, as he's now scored 15 or more in the last four games he's played. Another player making a difference was Wilbert Gaxiola, who scored 15 points.
Ceres' victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-6. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 68.7 points per game. As for Johansen, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-10.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Ceres will face off against Los Banos at 7:15 p.m. on Friday. Johansen's road trip will continue as they head out to face Lathrop at 7:15 p.m. on January 12th. Lathrop knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past four matches -- so hopefully Johansen likes a good challenge.
