SJS basketball championship updates (Friday, 3/2)

Division V girls
#1 Brookside Christian 63, #2 Turlock Christian 51
The Knights won their first girls basketball section championship behind 21 points from sophomore Tiara Tucker and 20 points from freshman Rauline Martinez. The game was tight until midway through the fourth quarter, when Brookside Christian pulled away. Halie Bergman, a junior, led Turlock Christian with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Ra'kyra Gabriel, a 6-foot-1 freshman, led Brookside with 12 rebounds. The game was a back-and-forth affair, one that saw Turlock Christian lead 24-22 at halftime. But the momentum, and the scoreboard, belonged to the Knights in the end.

Division V boys
#1 Capital Christian 64, #2 Central Catholic 50
The Cougars won their school's first Sac-Joaquin Section boys basketball championship behind 22 points and six rebounds from senior Matt Donlan. We say it's their first Sac-Joaquin Section title because they won a Northern Section championship in 2002. Donlan was 3-for-6 from beyond the arc, but also threw down a big two-handed dunk toward the end of the game, putting an exclamation point on the victory. Sophomore Nifae Lealao chipped in with 15 points and a team-leading seven rebounds. Central Catholic was led by John Fenton's 15 points and nine rebounds, while Kyler Wilson (11 points) was the only other Raider to score in double figures.

Division III girls
#1 Sacramento 73, #3 Modesto Christian 36
These teams played a close game earlier this season, with the Dragons taking a 56-52 victory over the Crusaders. This time, however, it was all Sacramento from the opening tip. Jasmine Ware led the Dragons with 19 points and 12 rebounds, as they jumped out to a first-quarter lead of 19-6 and a 40-20 halftime lead. Jehiah Cook added 18 points and two other Dragons each tallied 10 in the runaway. Valerie Moore led Modesto Christian with 13 points and 11 rebounds, but VeAnne Navarro (nine points) was her only teammate to score above five.


Division III boys
#1 Foothill 74, #2 Sierra 52
The Mustangs jumped out to a 40-18 lead at the half and cruised from there in winning the program's fourth Sac-Joaquin Section championship and first since 2003. Kelly Bender scored 22 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead Foothill, which also got 19 points and eight rebounds from Michael Bryson. Teammate Douglas James added 16. Guillermo Nunez led Sierra with 19 points, while D'ari Allen led the Timberwolves with five rebounds.