Turlock High hit the court with a bang Thursday night in the first day of the 38th annual Frank Godinez Boys Basketball Tournament with a 66-37 win over Ceres High, snapping a two-game losing streak and setting up a game with Ripon High tonight.
“Both games, Monterey Trail and Davis, we didn’t play bad but we weren’t patient enough on offense,” Turlock head coach Doug Cornfoot said of his team’s two losses on the season. “Tonight we tried to let these guys work on being a little more patient, looking for stuff inside first and then shooting a three. I think for the most part we were a little more patient. We got a lot more shots inside.”
Turlock worked Ceres with the trio of Demsen McFaddin, Ryan Downs and Travis Cook on offense as Cook shored up the paint, Downs held down the perimeter and McFaddin found the net from all angles. Turlock moved the ball around effectively against its Bulldog counterparts and by halftime the scoreboard read 39-21 in Turlock’s favor.
But perhaps more impressive than Turlock’s offense was its defense who limited Ceres to only 16 points in the second half and held its offense to its lowest overall output all season.
“We’re still getting better. We’re still a little slow closing out on the ball, we had a few times tonight where we didn’t box out very well, and it’s a work in progress,” Cornfoot said. “We’re switching things up a little bit so the kids are still working on that transition from one defense to another.”
Turlock put the nail in the coffin with a ten-point run to end the game and is now one step closer to making the Godinez finals for the third year in a row.
McFaddin finished the game with 18 points, Downs finished with 16 points and Cook notched seven points. Turlock also shot well from the line, sinking 13 of its 19 free throws. Next up for Turlock is Ripon who defeated McNair High on Thursday.
“A very fundamental team, well coached. They’re one of those teams that gives it 100% every time, so we better be ready to meet their challenge because they’re going to come ready to play,” Cornfoot said of the Indians. “I liked the energy we had when we first came out tonight. If we come out like that tomorrow, I like what I saw.”