SAN FRANCISCO, CA (MPG) - The Gridley boys’ basketball best season in recent years ended on Tuesday, February 27, as they lost to the Lincoln Mustangs of San Francisco 53-50 in the opening round of the CIF Division IV State Playoffs.

Gridley Head Coach Nathan Link expressed to the Herald that they started off cold in the opening quarter, but were only down three at the conclusion of the first quarter.

Link added that the Bulldogs found their shooting stroke in the second and third quarter and led by seven entering the fourth.

Link told the Herald that Lincoln was a physical team defensively that wore down Gridley during the game where they ended up going cold from the floor in the final quarter and after some costly turnovers, lost the game by three.

Although the Bulldogs made a first round exit in the state playoffs for the second consecutive season, the senior class of 2024 was a main staple towards the accomplishments throughout the season.

Gridley won the most games in the program (22) since the 2019-20 season and delivered the first Northern Section title to the school since the 2015-16 season.

Link expressed to the Herald that the seven seniors all had at least a 3.3 grade point average, two straight Butte View League titles after not competing in the playoffs their freshman and sophomore seasons and put in the work heavily in the offseason where all 2024 seniors showed vast improvements on their game.

Link told the Herald the most impressive thing about the 2024 seniors is that it took a special group to go from 7-20 in the 2021-22 season to finish where they did.

With the senior class departing, the Bulldogs have key returners coming back next season that include junior guards, Luis Murillo and Max Tolman, sophomore guard Bikram Kullar and junior forward Gus Stogsdill. With the returning core for the 2024-25 season, Link will add players from the junior varsity roster from this season, and he is excited for next season.

 Gridley senior forward Aaron Kullar (23) dribbles the ball in the Bulldogs’ 53-50 loss to Lincoln of San Francisco on Tuesday, February 27.