Turlock’s Cook named conference MVP in basketball

Travis Cook only reached double figures in points in three of Turlock’s 10 Central California Conference games this season.

Cook’s value wasn’t measured in points.

The Bulldogs senior dominated the boards – averaging 9.4 rebounds during CCC play – and was the backbone of the defense that helped Turlock win the conference championship.

His contributions caught the attention of the CCC coaches, who named Cook the conference MVP.

Turlock also landed senior guards Demsen McFaddin and Devan Bains on the all-CCC first team. Golden Valley also had two players selected to the first team, Lee McNeill and Isaac Daniel, both of whom played significant roles in the Cougars’ challenge for a title.

Merced junior A.J. Stewart joined them on the first team after helping the Bears reach the playoffs.

Rounding out the first team was Atwater senior Brody Patterson (14.8 points) and Pitman senior Branson Garcia (17.3 points), who were among the conference scoring leaders.

The second team was comprised of Merced’s Ulonzo Gilliam and Travis Pazin, Pitman’s Cyle Williams and Jando Diaz, Turlock’s Habib Velasquez, Atwater’s Kyle Anaya and Golden Valley’s Collin Hayes.

Mariposa boys still alive

The Mariposa boys basketball team is the only team still playing after opening the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoffs with blowout wins over Hughes Academy and Delta Charter.

The Grizzlies (24-5) outscored their two opponents by a combined 170-86.

The competition gets dramatically tougher tonight in the semifinals against Brookside Christian (22-4) at Galt High at 7:30.

The Knights average 73 points per game and feature four players who average more than 10 points, including guard Kameron Vales (17 points).

Like Mariposa, Brookside Christian’s losses came against bigger schools like Chavez (Stockton), Bethel (Vallejo) and Oakland early in the season.

Mariposa has made the playoffs every year since 2001, but last week’s first-round win over Hughes Academy snapped a streak of eight first-round losses.

Medal winners

Pacheco’s Miranda Lameli and Atwater’s Courtney Juarez returned from Visalia with medals from the CIF State Girls Wrestling Championships last weekend.

Both won their first two matches to reach the quarterfinals and then dropped into the consolation bracket.

Lameli went 4-2 in the tournament and took home seventh place at 126 pounds.

Juarez, a freshman, went 3-2 and finished eighth at 170 pounds.

This story was originally published March 3, 2015 at 6:58 PM with the headline "Turlock’s Cook named conference MVP in basketball."