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Written by Patterson Irrigator Staff
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Saturday, 02 February 2008 |
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 Kent Foster handles the ball mid-court.
The Patterson boys basketball team bounced back from last week’s disappointing loss at Livingston, defeating the host Hilmar Yellowjackets, 50-36, on Tuesday.
The Tigers overall record now stands at 18-4, with a league record of 9-1.
The win was important to the first-place Tigers on several levels.
“As a coaching staff, this game was a must-win,” assistant coach Steve Cardoso said. “(The Jan. 25) loss to Livingston was tough, and we knew that there would be some carryover into this next game.”
As usual, the Tigers used the second half of play to jumpstart their offense.
Senior Mitch Becerra led Patterson with 11 points. Fellow senior Robert Krager contributed 10 points and four rebounds, while sophomore Felix Mapanda added nine points and 11 rebounds.
 Patterson's Josh Hamm drives the ball toward the end of the team's 51-36 win against Hilmar. Photos by Elias Funez
“We typically start off pretty slow,” Cardoso said. “Basketball is a roller coaster ride. As long as we keep playing and finish strong, we’ll be fine.”
With only five games left in the season, Cardoso stressed the importance of thinking on a game-to-game basis.
“You never want to look too far ahead,” he said. “You can never take anything for granted. We’re always going to be in for a close game against the teams in this league.”
To reach Marc Aceves at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at
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