Honkers prep for playoffs with easy win

Led by seniors Shannon Cassidy and Brie Richins, the two-time Tri-County Conference champion Yuba City High girls basketball team finished its regular season with a 52-35 win over crosstown rival River Valley at Honker Gym on Thursday.

Cassidy scored a game-high 16 points and Richins added 10, as the Honkers (17-10, 13-2) took care of business on Senior Night, in which seven Yuba City players were feted before the game.

"It felt nice," Richins said of playing in her last home game and doing well. "It really hasn't sunk in yet. I don't think I'll realize this is it until the last basketball game and practice are over."

"I wanted to come out and play well in my last home game," said Cassidy, who also had six assists, three steals and five rebounds.

Because there were seven seniors, Cassidy and Richins sat out the first four minutes of the game while the other seniors drew the start. Yuba City's experience showed, as the Honkers took a 12-2 lead after the first period of play.

River Valley's first points came with 33 seconds left in the period.

The Honkers didn't miss a step in the second quarter as they opened a 25-12 halftime lead. In the third stanza, back-to-back 3-pointers by Cassidy midway through the period, then consecutive treys by Sandeep Bajwa moments later helped push Yuba City to a 44-20 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final period, Yesenia Medina tried to rally the Falcons (2-25, 0-15) when she scored eight of her team-high 14 points, but it was too little, too late.

"We've come along way," River Valley coach Michelle Quist said, noting the Falcons have only two seniors and two juniors on the team. "They have a lot of heart and poured it all out tonight. Next year, we will be a team to be reckoned with."

Amarpreet Everest said the game was bittersweet.

"It's a little sad," said Amarpreet Everest, also a captain with Richins and Cassidy and another senior, talking about playing in her last home game. "We all come from different schools in the eighth grade and yet we all came together. That's the thing about this team, our team chemistry. We've really bonded."

Coach Cassidy said the Honkers' cohesiveness will help them as they enter the postseason.

"This team is capable of accomplishing anything," Cassidy said.

He added Yuba City will be in a battle no matter which team it faces in the opening round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. II playoffs on Tuesday. The playoff teams will be announced Sunday.

"I think our early, tough preseason schedule should help us," the coach added.

Contact sports reporter Richard Myers at 749-4714 or rmyers@appealdemocrat.com.