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Pride top former CCC foe in first round of playoffs
Pitman boys bball 1
Pitman High's Josiah Frank finished Tuesday's game with a game-high 23 points after he drained five shots from three-point range and the Pride defeated Buhach Colony in the first round of the Division-II Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs, 66-49 (EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal).

The successful season continues for the Pitman High boys basketball team after the Pride toppled former CCC foe Buhach Colony on Tuesday night in the first round of the D2 Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs after a 66-49 win. 

“All I remember is we played them here last year and we lost… so I wanted to have a better performance today,” said Pitman head coach Harvey Marable. 

Last year, Pitman lost to BC in the second game of the season after a 73-63 ending. 

That Pitman team also won just a pair of league games in the Central California Athletic League just a season ago and more than tripled that total of wins this year alone. 

They went 7-3 in the CCAL this year, losing all three games by just five points altogether. 

On Tuesday, they started off the game like they were ready. 

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Kyahn Issa of Pitman High dribbles the ball past a Buhach Colony defender during the second half of Tuesday's 66-49 win in the first round of the D2 SJS playoffs. Issa finished the game with 14 points, 13 rebounds and four assists (EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal).

It took less than 62 seconds for Pitman to take a quick 8-0 lead over BC. 

With the help of Josiah Frank’s game-high 23 points, Pitman was able to control much of the tempo and never trailed for the game. 

Pitman held BC to 14 points in the first quarter and led at the half, 38-28. 

Once the third quarter hit, BC came out with a different tempo and cut the lead to single digits and at one point Pitman was up 48-41. 

The Pride defense then buckled down and allowed just eight points in the final 10 minutes and 50 seconds.

“I am glad and happy for our seniors, it is their last home game, and we kept our playoff streak alive, since I haven’t lost at home in the playoffs yet, four home playoff games won in a row,” said Marable. 

Frank managed to drain five shots from the three point range, while Kyahn Issa did work all around. 

Issa finished the game with a double-double after adding 14 points and 13 rebounds to go with four assists. 

“We have gotten better as we have come along and it has been fun, but our biggest thing is no matter what our record was this year, overall atmosphere, the program was better for sure,” said Marable.

Pitman is now 15-9 overall for the year after they went 9-15 just a season ago. 

With the win, the Pride have also won four straight and seven of the last eight games. 

“We still have a lot of things to work on, because tomorrow is going to be a bear,” Marable added. 

Pitman will next travel on the road to take on No. 1 Jesuit High at 7 p.m. Wednesday. 

Jesuit is currently ranked No. 43 in the state and No. 200 in the country. Pitman is No. 469 in the state. 

Jesuit holds a 20-8 overall record so far.