The Central Section basketball playoffs are going full bore.
The Dos Palos Bronco boys squad opened play with a long road trip to Lake Isabella to take on Kern Valley High in the opening round of the Div. VI bracket.
The more than four-hour one-way trip proved most fruitful as the Broncos came away with a hard-fought 59-52 victory over the Broncs.
The upset win by the No. 13 seed Broncos over the No. 4 Broncs last Friday evening set up a quarterfinal game at No. 5 Orcutt Academy Tuesday night. Orcutt defeated No. 12 Caruthers 59-44. The winner of the Orcutt/Dos Palos game will move on to a semifinal game this Thursday night against the winner of the game between No. 1 Orosi and No. 8 Delano.
In the first half against Kern Valley, Dos Palos had no answer for Bronc center Shiloh Galvan. The junior scored 18 of his game high 22 points in the opening quarter to lead his team to a 20-17 lead. Kern Valley added to its lead in the second quarter with key baskets by Aiden Madden and Casey Trumpover.
Trailing 33-28 in the third quarter, Dos Palos clamped down on defense and relied on balanced scoring to take their first lead of the night. Junior guard Andrew San Ramone hit a pair of three-point shots and two baskets by Anthony Lish were the catalysts for the surge.
Dos Palos, holding a slim 42-41 lead at the end of the third quarter, put the game away by crashing the boards on both ends of the court. Ajay Esparza scored 11 of his 16 points in the final quarter and Osiris Navarro hit a key three point shot to seal the victory.
Lish, a senior point guard, led Dos Palos in scoring with 19 points, including an excellent 11 of 14 from the free throw line.
In other Div. VI playoff action, No. 14 Firebaugh upset No. 3 Stralhmore, 54-44. The Eagles were scheduled to play at No. 11 Kings Christian-Lemoore Tuesday evening.
In Div. V, No. 8 Mendota lost a heartbreaker to No. 9 Highland, 57-55, and No. 2 Coalinga beat No. 15 Madera South, 52-41.
