Bulldog senior Luis Murillo (No. 3) attempting a layup. Photo by Jennifer Corriea

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - The Gridley Bulldog boys finished off the D4 Northern Section California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Boys Basketball playoffs this past week, falling to the University Prep Panthers 52-34 in the championship matchup.               

On Saturday, March 1 the Bulldogs met the Panthers at Butte College with championship aspirations.

For the first time since the Gridley Invitational Basketball Tournament, the Bulldogs struggled on offense. The Bulldogs started the game slowly, scoring only six points to the Panthers 12 in the first quarter.

The Bulldogs picked it up in the second quarter, scoring 11 points while the Panthers kept a consistent scoring streak with another 12-point quarter giving the Panthers a 24-17 lead at halftime.

Gridley High School junior Bikram Kullar shooting a jump shot against University Prep on March 1. Photo by Jennifer Corriea

The Bulldogs kept a consistent scoring pattern in the second half while the Panthers came out of the halftime locker room better than they were in the first half.

The Panthers improved on both offense and defense and held a tight grip on the rest of the game slowly growing a lead over the Bulldogs. As the final buzzer sounded, the Panthers celebrated as they won the championship game with a final score of 52-34.

Although the Bulldogs lost, they will continue to play as they have qualified for the 2025 CIF State Boys Basketball Championships. On Tuesday, March 4, the Bulldogs are scheduled to host the Bret Harte Bullfrogs out of Angels Camp. The game is schedule dot be played at Gridley High School with tip-off at 7 p.m., after press time.