GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Gridley High School varsity basketball hosted crosstown rival, Live Oak High School, on Friday, January 10, 2020, in their seventeenth contest of the season.

Entering the game with a 10-6 record, the Bulldogs looked to put the Lions (6-11 record) away fast early in the game, but the Lions kept pace in the first half. Gridley captains, Grant Tull and Tony Murillo, led the charge for the Bulldogs early and often. Esaias Arredondo and Charles Johnson kept the offense fluid in the first quarter for the Lions. The Bulldogs led 19-13 after the first quarter and kept pace into halftime with an additional 16 points in the second quarter. At halftime, the Bulldogs had a 35-26 lead and complete control of the game going into the locker room. In the third quarter, the Bulldogs bench played a pivotal role to the 20 point quarter that increased their lead 59-39. By the end of the fourth quarter, all Gridley players had scored at least two or more points in the 81-45 victory.

Tull led the Bulldogs with 29 points, followed by Murillo with 19 points. Chance Nicolson scored seven points with Josue Jauregui, Colby Norton, and Cameron Erickson scoring four points. Cameron Carr and Spencer Cron put up three points, and Cesar De La Torre and Anthony Hiestand scored two points. The Bulldogs finished with an impressive 26 defensive rebounds in the game.

The JV contest earlier in the evening was a back and forth thriller ending in a two point differential. A game like that could be the difference in a couple of missed free throws, a rebound that wasn’t secured, or a bad pass for a turnover. The Lions got things rolling in the first quarter taking a 17-13 lead with help from Ta’jon Bloomer and DJ Velasquez. Gridley’s Shay Carr and Tyler Farr helped keep pace with the Lions in the first quarter. In the second quarter the Bulldogs found their groove, putting up 18 points to Live Oak’s 11 points. The Lions, Hearveer Butter, hit a big 3-point shot right before halftime to keep the game close as the Bulldogs regained the momentum and took a 31-28 lead. The Lions came out hungry in the third quarter putting up 13 points with help from Riley Cross to regain the lead 41-40. The fourth quarter was a back and forth battle for the win, with Live Oak scoring 11 points and Gridley scoring 10 points. The Lions took the victory 52-50.

Bloomer led the Lions with 19 points and 16 rebounds. Velasquez put up 12 points with five rebounds and three steals. Cross scored 11 points with 13 rebounds. Noah Jeffords scored five points and Karmuri Gosal put up two points with five rebounds.

The Bulldogs were led by Shay Carr with 13 points, followed by Farr with 11 points. Jorge Ramirez and David Gonzalez scored eight points each. Jason Monarrez scored five points, David Jauregui scored three points, and Jaskaran Gakhal scored two points in the game.