For four straight seasons, the Hilmar High boys basketball team finished with a losing record, with its highest win total in that timespan being nine in 2021-22. This season, however, is a far cry from the past. Hilmar headed to Newman on Friday at 10-8 overall, the most wins for the program since 2019-20 when they finished 20-9.

Coming in with a three-game losing streak, Hilmar snapped it to secure its first win in Trans-Valley League play with a 55-45 win against Orestimba High Friday night.

Aaron Solorio and Darin Maciel contributed 12 points each to lead the Yellowjackets. Following them were starters Vincent Machado and Riley Quintero, who combined for 16 points. Orestimba’s Rudy Corona contributed 22 points and three 3-pointers, but Hilmar’s defense withstood his performance, as Corona was the only Warriors player to score in double figures.

Hilmar assistant head coach Alec Cano, who took over as interim head coach, said that while it was a “very ugly win,” he felt the team needed it after going winless in the first three games of their TVL slate.

“We really needed it, I think the morale was very high tonight. I think defensively, we did great. Offense was a little off, [but] a win is a win,” said Cano.

Trailing 12-8 after the first quarter in front of a tumultuous Warriors crowd, Cano told his team to embrace them, and they did just that. The Yellowjackets bounced in the second and outscored Orestimba 12-6, to take a two-point lead going into the second half. Carter Fruth scored five points in the period, including a 3-pointer.

Maciel and Machado rallied a 13-2 scoring run early in the third quarter, building a 33-20 lead. The Yellowjackets expanded their lead to 18 going into the fourth, with the help of multiple second-chance points off of offensive rebounds, leaving Orestimba’s crowd in disbelief. The lead eventually expanded to 23 points as it was enough to hold and win.

“These are great places to play, but it’s even better when they get really quiet,” Cano said when playing opposing TVL teams on the road. “It was really quiet in the fourth quarter, I told them, ‘Embrace that stuff because we did that.’”

Now at 11-8 overall, Hilmar will host Livingston High in a non-league matchup on Monday at 6:30 p.m. After Monday’s game, the Yellowjackets will resume TVL play when they travel to Hughson on Jan. 22.

Cano said the team’s goal by the end of next week is to be 3-3 against TVL opponents.

“We need one bounce, and this is the one, and we’ve got to just cruise into next week,” he said. “We’re gonna finish off league [play] strong, don’t count us out yet.”