GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - The Gridley Bulldogs varsity basketball team hit the court at the end of the winter break to compete in the Dennis Burnum Classic at Oroville High School from January 2nd to January 4th. The first tournament of the 2020 year saw much progress with sorrowful adversity.

On Thursday, January 2nd, the Bulldogs tipped off against the Red Bluff Spartans in a tough battle until the final buzzer. At one point throughout the game the Bulldogs had their lead dwindled down before the Spartans went up by as many as 10 points. But a resilient Bulldogs offense, led by Grant Tull and Tony Murillo, regained the lead in the fourth quarter to regain the lead and secure the 66-60 win over the Spartans. Tull led the team in scoring with 28 points. Murillo put up 18 points and Colby Norton put up 8 points. 

The game one victory put the Bulldogs up against the Las Plumas Thunderbirds on Friday, January 3rd. The Bulldogs opened up the scoring early and often, with Tull and Murillo getting the open looks and driving through the open lanes for the baskets. A stellar Bulldog press defense kept the Thunderbirds on their heels throughout the game. Gridley would cruise to a 61-39 victory over the Thunderbirds to move onto the championship game of the tournament. 

With a heavy heart, the Gridley Bulldogs took the court in the championship game against the Shasta Wolves on Saturday, January 4th. Shasta jumped out to a 14-5 lead in the first quarter, but the Bulldogs couldn’t maintain focus enough to keep pace. By halftime, the Bulldogs were down 35-18. The Bulldogs would go on to fall by a score of 69-42 and place second in the tournament. Tull scored 28 of the 42 points in the game. 

To start the new year, the varsity Bulldogs improved to 10-5 on the season, a few weeks ahead of the start of league when they host the Wheatland Pirates on January 14, 2020 at 7:00 PM.