SALINAS VALLEY — Soledad High girls’ basketball team defeated King City 52-44 in the second day of the Ken Kline Basketball Tournament to finish with a 2-0 record.
Soledad earned the right to play the host Lady Mustangs after beginning the tournament with a 67-12 rout of Gonzales.
Against King City, Delylah Ocampo and Athena Landeros scored 20 points and 13 points, respectively, to lead the Aztecs to victory. Soledad outscored the Mustangs, 15-6, in the fourth quarter.
King City’s Crystal Paramo had a double-double with 14 points and rebounds, while Alizah Carrillo scored 10 points and Katia Slama added 10 points.
In the game with Gonzales on Day 1, Jessica Morales led Soledad with 19 points, Ocampo finished with 15 points and Atiana Landeros joined her teammates in double figures with 10 points.
In the Day 1 game with Santa Maria, King City claimed a 42-38 win against the Saints. Paramo led King City with 17 points and 17 rebounds and Carrillo finished with eight points.
Ocampo was chosen to the All-Tournament team along with Paramo and Aaliyah Juarez of Santa Maria.
Soledad improved to 8-2 and began Gabilan Division play at Hollister on Tuesday on the road and will host Pacific Grove on Thursday night.
King City is 5-5 for the season and began play in the Santa Lucia Division on Tuesday by hosting Pajaro Valley and will play in Salinas on Thursday against the North Salinas Vikings.
Gonzales is 0-3 and hosted the Marina Mariners on Tuesday in the Santa Lucia Division opener and will play Thursday at Pajaro Valley.
The Greenfield varsity girls lost their first game in the 23rd annual North Salinas Sweet 16, 67-15, to Harker from San Jose.
In their second day of the tournament, the Bruins beat the Everett Alvarez Eagles, 44-39. Bella Figueroa, Alaila Ortiz and Michelle Carrillo each scored eight points.
In the final game of the Sweet 16, Greenfield lost 53-28 against the Palma Chieftains. Figueroa led the Bruins with 19 points.
Junior varsity scores from the tournament were: Day 1 – King City 28, Greenfield 13; and Soledad 50, Gonzales 25; Day 2 – Soledad 32, King City 28; and Greenfield 32, Gonzales 17.
Then, on Saturday, the Greenfield varsity girls traveled north and were beaten 32-21 by host Oakwood. The Bruins (1-6) played the game with only six players.
Greenfield hosted North Salinas on Tuesday night and will travel to Santa Cruz on Thursday to battle the Pacific Collegiate Pumas.
Boys’ Basketball
Soledad and Gonzales high school boys’ basketball teams hit the road last week, with the Aztecs playing in the Surf ’N Slam Tournament in the San Diego area and the Spartans participating at the fourth annual Rancho San Juan Tournament in Salinas.
Soledad played three games at the Surf ’N Slam, beating Chugiak of Alaska 54-29; losing to Cedarcrest of Washington 68-40; and falling to Christian of El Cajon, Calif., 73-38, to earn fifth place.
Pedro Morales led Soledad in scoring in all three games, 25, 11 and 19 points, respectively. Ayden Urquidez added 12 points against Chugiak, and Calvin DeShazo chipped in with 11 against Cedarcrest.
“We were in San Diego from Dec. 26-31,” said Aztec head coach Nick Twitchell. “Got to play three games and spent a bunch of time together.”
On Saturday, the Aztecs defeated host North Monterey County in Castroville, 67-40. Morales led Soledad with 22 points, and Jeronimo Morales had 21 points, including seven 3-point baskets.
Soledad began Santa Lucia Division play on Tuesday by hosting Gonzales and will play at Seaside on Thursday night.
At the Rancho San Juan Tournament, Gonzales lost to Marina 65-58 and Hollister 46-38 before defeating St. Francis of Watsonville 66-53.
In the Marina game on Dec. 27, Jorge Uribe led Gonzales in scoring with 19, Edgar Mendoza had 17 points and Fernando DeLeon had 10 points.
In the Dec. 29 game with Hollister, DeLeon, Alexander Hernandez and Mendoza combined for 29 points.
Against St. Francis on Dec. 30, Uribe scored 18 points, DeLeon scored 14 points, Hernandez added 11 points and Mendoza added 10 points. Mendoza was also chosen to the All-Tournament team.
Next, Gonzales will host Monte Vista Christian on Thursday night.
Greenfield played at North Salinas on Tuesday and will host Pacific Collegiate on Thursday night.
King City has not played since Dec. 19 and began divisional play Tuesday night at Monte Vista Christian and will host North Salinas on Thursday.
