Opportunity lost for Golden Valley

To make the playoffs, Golden Valley coach Keith Hunter figures his team has to find a way to knock off one of the big three in the Central California Conference.

Hunter's boys had their best opportunity on Friday night, taking a two-point lead into the fourth quarter against Turlock.

However, Travis Souza wasn't going to let his team lose.

The Turlock senior erupted for 14 of his game-high 28 points in the final quarter as Turlock overcame a sluggish start to defeat Golden Valley 66-50 at Cougar Arena.

"I don't want to say we got angry, but we got aggressive," said Souza, who spent the bulk of the first half on the bench in foul trouble.

"(Golden Valley) is an aggressive team and we had to fight back."

Golden Valley (4-4 CCC, 12-11 overall) came into the week ranked No. 13 in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I power ratings. The top 16 advance to the playoffs.

Hunter doesn't believe GV will get in with a .500 record in the CCC, which means his guys will have to find a way to beat Merced (8-1 CCC) or Pitman (6-2 CCC).

"If we don't, we're not going to make the playoffs," Hunter said. "One of those opportunities is gone after tonight.

"I don't know if we can beat Atwater or Buhach Colony on any given night because we're so up and down.

"We've got to win three of our last four to make it."

Golden Valley looked like it could pull off the big win early.

Hunter's guys looked a step quicker for most of the night and it showed as GV started the second quarter with a 13-2 run to open up a 28-19 lead with 3:24 left in the first half.

Turlock cut the deficit to just three points by halftime, but again Golden Valley scored the first five points of the second half to extend the lead back out to 35-30.

Golden Valley built the lead with its relentless pressure and dictated the quick pace of the game.

Trek Fayerweather was scoring inside and out, as he collected 19 of his 20 points in the first three quarters.

However, Turlock settled down and cut the lead to just 39-37 by the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter Souza took over.

The four-year starter took the ball to the basket, he found a way to get to the free-throw line and he nailed three treys in the quarter.

Turlock opened the fourth quarter with a 13-3 run to take a 50-42 lead.

"They know how to win," Hunter said. "Souza has been around a long time and he knows how to win and they did.

"They took the ball to the rim and we settled for 3-pointers. When they're making their run, we have to come down and look inside. If we shoot a three, it has to come inside-out and I don't think we did that."

Turlock finished with a 29-point fourth quarter.

"Again we didn't play 32 minutes," Hunter said. "That's the song of our season. When adversity hit we were done.

"We weren't very resilient. We didn't respond when they had their moment."

At Golden Valley

Turlock 17 10 10 29 -- 66

Golden Valley 15 15 9 11 -- 50

TURLOCK --Connor Peason 3, Jeffrey Severson 5, Ryan Brown 2, Alek Carlson 9, Anthony Hubbard 3, Travis Souza 28, Ashton Richardson 2, Eric Wetzel 14. Totals: 24 912-66.

GOLDEN VALLEY -- Rob Martinez 2, Richard Thomas 8, Trek Fayerweather 20, Larry Moore 2, Devonta Jackson 2, Justin Wootten 5, Garrett Hill 11. Totals: 16 12-20 50.

3-pointers: Turlock 9 (Souza 5, Wetzel 2, Severson 1, Carlson 1), Golden Valley 6 (Fayerweather 3, Thomas 2, Wootten 1); Total Fouls: Turlock 17, Golden Valley 17; Foul Outs: None.

Records: Turlock 7-2 CCC, 19-5 overall; Golden Valley 4-4 CCC, 12-11.

JV -- GV won. Frosh -- GV won.