Caruthers moves a step closer to the CIF state championship with a win over Central
Caruthers High girls basketball Anna Almeida said her team has been here before.
She is not talking about the CIF state championship they won in 2019 over Ramona in Sacramento.
It was about trailing in the game, yet, the 14th-seed Blue Raiders found a way to pull through.
Caruthers rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat No. 2 Central 36-34 in a CIF Northern California Regional Division III game on Saturday night.
“We just kept working,” Almeida said. “We’re not quitters.”
Caruthers will next face No. 1 University-San Francisco in the regional championship on Tuesday. The winner advances to the state championship that will be played at the Golden 1 Center.
The Blue Raiders trailed Central 31-27 at the end of the third quarter, but held the Grizzlies to three points in the fourth quarter.
Central had a chance to send the game to overtime, but Sariyah Potts missed an open layup as Caruthers got the ball back with 2.1 seconds remaining. The Blue Raiders then ran out the clock.
Almeida said her team was down by 20 points this season, but knew her team would never back down against the Grizzlies.
It showed once again in front of a big Caruthers crowd.
“They were pumped for this game,” Almeida said. “They were ready to go. The kids are excited and our crowd is always great. This is our second home game all year and it wasn’t even at our house.”
Boys basketball
Open Division
No. 2 Archbishop Riordan 69, No. 3 Clovis North 57
Division I
No. 4 Granada 70, No. 1 Clovis West 53
Division III
No. 6 Bullard 63, No. 2 Justin-Siena 62
March 5 regional championship
No. 6 Bullard at No. 1 Santa Cruz
Girls basketball
Open Division
No. 2 Clovis West 69, St. Mary’s-Stockton 57
March 5 regional championship
No. 2 Clovis West at No. 1 Archbishop Mitty
Division III
No. 14 Caruthers 36, No. 2 Central 34
March 5 regional championship
No. 14 Caruthers at No. 1 University-San Francisco
Division V
No. 1 Montgomery 41, No. 4 Immanuel 38
