GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - The Gridley Bulldogs boys’ and girls’ basketball teams both split as they opened their regular season this past week.

The Bulldog boys had their home opener on Tuesday, Jan. 14 against the Las Plumas Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds started and finished the game scorching hot. Everything they shot seemed to go into the basket and after the Bulldogs were able to keep it close after the first quarter (20-15), they did not have enough to keep up. The Thunderbirds shot 64% from the field including 14-20 from three making the score 55-82 ending the Bulldogs 8 game winning streak. Senior Max Tolman led the Bulldogs in scoring with 17 points.

On Friday, Jan. 17 the Bulldogs went to Corning to face the Cardinals. The Bulldogs came into this game with the mindset of redeeming themselves from their previous performance and that’s exactly what they did. The Bulldogs dominated the first half scoring at will and playing stifling defense as they didn’t allow more than 8 points in each of the first two quarters (5 in the first, 7 in the second). With a halftime score of 40-12, all the Bulldogs needed to do was cruise to a finish and cruise that’s exactly what they did as they won 66-40. Senior Luis Murillo led the Bulldogs in scoring with 15 points.

The Lady Bulldogs opened their regular season on the road against the Thunderbirds on Jan. 14. The Bulldogs started the game by playing tough defense giving them a 9-4 lead after the first quarter but that tough defense unfortunately did not hold. The Thunderbirds would proceed to outscore the Bulldogs in the second and third quarters giving them a 35-30 lead after three setting up a close fourth quarter. Gridley would outscore the Thunderbirds, but it wasn’t enough as the Thunderbirds got away with a 43-46 win.

The Lady Bulldogs faced off against the Corning Cardinals for their home opener on Jan. 17 in hopes to get back in the winning column. The Bulldogs started the game off hot getting an early 12-0 lead before the Cardinals were able to score their first points. This led to a 16-7 lead for the Bulldogs after the first. This would start a small comeback attempt for the Cardinals as they hit consecutive threes but just as the Bulldogs needed a player to step up, senior Brook Marr made plays on both offense and defense to put the Bulldogs firmly ahead. The Bulldogs consistently held a 15-20 point lead the rest of the game and won 52-32.

The Lady Bulldogs will be at home against the Live Oak Lions while the boys will be on the road on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Both games will start at 7:30 p.m. After that, the boys will be at home while the girls will be on the road against the Orland Trojans on Friday, Jan. 24. Both games will again start at 7:30 p.m.