Merced hopes defense indeeds wins championships. Bears looking to repeat in CCC.

If the Merced High boys basketball team is going to repeat as Central California Conference champions the Bears are going to do it with defense.

With players like Dhameer Warren, Xavier Stewart and Davion Jackson, the Bears are as fast and athletic as any team in the CCC.

The Bears defense was on display against Buhach Colony on Friday night.

Merced held the Thunder without a field goal for the first 6 minutes and 33 seconds of the game. Buhach Colony missed its first 10 shots from the floor before Chris Portillo’s 3-pointer bounced off the front rim and in with 1:27 left in the first quarter.

“We have to play to one of our strengths and defense is one of our strengths,” said Merced coach Hector Nava.

The Bears held Buhach Colony to 16 of 49 shooting (33 percent) and helped force the Thunder into 19 turnovers in the game as Merced opened CCC play with a 47-42 win in the Thunder Dome.

Only a 10-2 run to close the game in the final 4 minutes kept Buhach Colony from finishing under 40 points.

“All our coaches say is defense, defense, defense,” said Merced senior Jeremy Redwine, who scored 22 points and nine rebounds. “That’s what we’re about. We want to hold teams to under 45 points. We can’t win games if we’re giving up 60 or 70 points.”

One of the concerns about Merced was would the Bears be able to score enough points after losing league MVP Jared Pazin, who averaged 18.7 points per game last year.

Redwine has developed into a go-to player. You can tell he’s spent time in the weight room since last season and it’s obvious he’s spent hours in the gym.

Twice in the first quarter, Nava called isolation plays where the Bears cleared out the left side of the court for Redwine to go one-on-one with his defender. Both plays ended with Redwine beating his man to the basket for layups.

“I’ve spent time in the gym, getting in time with Nava,” Redwine said. “I’m stepping into a leadership role now that I’m a senior. Ever since last year, Jared and Isaiah (Aguirre) helped set a great attitude in the program. We all know everybody can do the job. We’re playing for each other.”

Nava went 11 deep with every one on the roster playing.

There were players like JJ Corbett scoring a key basket at the end of the third quarter to extend the Bears’ lead to 36-27 heading into the fourth quarter.

Elijah Martin scored back-to-back baskets to start the fourth quarter for Merced to extend the lead to 40-27 with 5:54 left in the game.

Stewart finished with 13 points and Warren added four points to go along with 10 rebounds.

The Bears came in expecting a tough game after the Thunder (9-9, 1-1 CCC) upset Golden Valley 68-65 on Wednesday. Irik Dobbins who hit the game-winning 3-pointer against the Cougars on Wednesday, led the Thunder with 14 points against Merced. Chris Portillo added 11 points.

“We knew they were a good team,” Redwine said. “We saw what happened on Wednesday. They are a strong team and a strong program. We came in ready and focused.”

If the first week proved anything, the CCC is going to be a grinder this year. Golden Valley rebounded from its loss to Buhach Colony by beating Pitman 56-49.

“The year the CCC is wide open for any team,” Nava said. “GV beat Pitman tonight. Every game is going to be a grind. We have got to be prepared every night.”

Golden Valley 56, Pitman 49 in Merced – The Cougars picked up a big win at home with their top player Cyrus Allen sidelined with an ankle injury.

Etrell Bowers helped pick up the slack with 18 points as Golden Valley improved to 11-5 overall and 1-1 in the CCC.

“Etrell Bowers was phenomenal in the second half tonight. I think he scored 15 in the second half,” said Golden Valley coach Keith Hunter. “He scored a variety of ways, hitting the three, with spin moves and with the left hand. He rebounded. He stepped up big time.”

Devon Martinez added 12 points for the Cougars, who avenged a 67-47 loss to the Pride (13-4, 1-1) earlier this season.

Hunter said the biggest difference on Friday night was defense.

“We didn’t give them any easy baskets,” he said. “The last time we played them it was preseason. We pressed them and trapped them and they scored easily out of it. We wanted to make them earn everything they got.”

El Capitan 54, Atwater 35 in Merced – It’s early but the Gauchos are all alone atop the CCC at 2-0. Marcus McCutchen led El Capitan (14-4 overall) with 14 points. Mark Sellers and Jeremiah Duda both added 10 points for the Gauchos.

The Gauchos will head to Golden Valley on Monday night in a key CCC matchup.

College Men’s Basketball

UC Merced 61, Benedictine 44 in Merced – Ryan Haywood and Branson Garcia each scored 15 points as the Bobcats improved to 7-8 overall and 3-0 in the California Pacific Conference.

Women’s Basketball

UC Merced 91, Benedictine 70 in Merced – Deja Jackson became first Bobcats player in program history to record a triple-double with 11 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Mia Shannon added 26 points and 16 rebounds for the Bobcats (11-6), which extended their winning streak to seven games.

Merced College 83, West Hills 41 in Merced – Jordan Pierce scored 20 points as the Lady Devils improved to 16-3 overall and 2-0 in the Central Valley Conference.

This story was originally published January 5, 2018 at 10:52 PM with the headline "Merced hopes defense indeeds wins championships. Bears looking to repeat in CCC.."