The Sobrato girls basketball team’s year hasn’t been easy, as the Bulldogs have struggled to a two-win season.
The year didn’t get any better Thursday for the Bulldogs, but Sobrato did show improvement against Independence despite playing mostly underclassmen. It was quite enough for the Bulldogs, who lost 52-42 to fall to 2-12 overall and 0-6 inside the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Santa Teresa Standings.
Even with a 10-point loss, it could have been much worse for Sobrato. The Bulldogs struggled to put the ball through the net in the first half, going into halftime with only 13 points. In the second quarter, the Bulldogs made only one shot from the floor – a 3-pointer from Vanessa Gonzalez.
Down 27-13 at the half, Sobrato finally started to show some spark on offense. Symone Wright scored a game-high 14 points, including 12 in the final 16 minutes.
Sobrato pulled to within seven points, as its defense forced 25 turnovers throughout the night. But in the final four minutes, Sobrato struggled from the floor again.
Overall, the comeback signaled improvement, Sobrato head coach Erica Wallace said.
“The second half of this game is my real team,” she said. “It’s the team that doesn’t come out much. Sometimes it takes the fourth quarter but they have a lot of potential. It just takes a while to get that out of them.”
While forcing 25 turnovers, Sobrato recieved scoring from seven players in the loss. Gonzalez finished with 11 points for the Bulldogs. Megan Yabumoto and Lindsey Ellenburg each scored five points for Sobrato.
Wallace hopes the team learns from the comeback and the team’s potential, she said. If they do, the team should be much better in the final six games.
“They are definitely getting better as a team,” she said. “They are starting to reach each other on the court … They are staring to gel together. It’s kind of a new feel. They are improving. They are young and they are staring to get the system. They are getting thicker skin that’s for sure.”
The Bulldogs season continues at 7 p.m. Tuesday against Prospect.
SOBRATO BOYS SOCCER
The Bulldogs fell to 0-6-3 Thursday, losing 4-0 to Evergreen Valley. In league play this year, Sobrato has been outscored 12-3.
Sobrato will look to get into the win column Tuesday, when they play cross-town rival Live Oak at 3:15 p.m. at Live Oak High School.
