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Pitman avoids upset, clips Falcons
PHS girls pic1
Pitmans Samantha Gonsalez reaches for the basketball in Tuesdays matchup with Atwater. - photo by FRANKIE TOVAR / The Journal

Pitman High’s girls basketball team might have come into Tuesday night’s game against Atwater High expecting an easy victory but what they got was a highly motivated group of Falcons hungry for a third win. The Pride triumphed in the end, 51-45, keeping their hunt for the CCC title alive.

Atwater struck first with a three-pointer early in the first quarter. Pitman responded immediately, going to Alex DeChari (11 points) inside for a basket. From there it went back and forth and both defenses took turns forcing turnovers and creating scoring opportunities.  Some shots fell in and some shots came up short in the highly contentious first half of play. There were five lead changes before halftime; most of the leads were by three points or less. Pitman led 30-27 at the half.

“We struggled,” Pitman’s head coach Keith Larsen said. “But you have to give Atwater credit.”

The Pride pulled away in the third quarter as Marissa Marable (14 points) began to find the basket. A Marable trey helped extend Pitman’s lead in the third quarter but the Falcons stayed in contention in a second half riddled with fouls. Late in the fourth Atwater hit a much-needed trey to cut Pitman’s lead by five, but with a minute left to play Parmine Randhawa hit a trey of her own, making a Falcon upset improbable. The Pride stepped up to the free throw line a couple more times, padding their lead and sealing the victory.

Only a few more league games remain. Pitman faces Golden Valley High on Thursday before next week’s matchups with CCC leaders Buhach High and Turlock High.

“We got three games to go and we’ll keep fighting,” Larsen said.

To contact Frankie Tovar, e-mail ftovar@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.