The Gridley boys basketball used a 22-10 run over the fourth period to beat U-Prep 62-50 on Saturday to claim the Northern Section Division IV title at Shasta College.
The teams were tied at 40 entering the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs opened the period with a 3-pointer from Gus Stogsdill.
U-Prep, meanwhile, was getting only one-shot looks as the taller Gridley squad was limiting the Panthers' offensive rebounds. The Bulldogs ran out a trio of players — Bikram Kullar, Shmaas Khan and Aaron Kullar — all over 6-foot-4 with Aaron Kullar listed at 6-8.
Additionally, U-Prep (22-9) had five turnovers in the first four minutes of the final period.
Khan led the way for Gridley (22-6) with 17 points while Aaron Kullar added 16 and Travus Boyd chipped in 10.
No U-Prep player finished in double figures as Baron Grooms led the way with nine and freshman Trey Pringle, Scott Steffan and Adam Gire all had seven.
After a Travus Boyd free throw put Gridley up 44-40, the Bulldogs’ 6-foot-8 post Aaron Kullar sandwiched 3-pointers around a Steffan bucket for a 50-44 lead.
U-Prep was able to cut the edge to four once again on Jack Ampi’s steal and coast-to-coast fast break layup, but that’s as close as the Panthers would get.
Luis Murrilo hit a jump shot, U-Prep was called for three fouls in a 30-second span and Boyd hit two freebies for a 54-46 lead with 1:50 left. To compound the U-Prep woes, the Panthers were whistled for a foul on the box out during the made free throw.
The extra possession turned into a Murrillo triple and a 57-46 edge with just over 1:20 left.
After the Bulldogs missed a pair of free throws, U-Prep picked up a technical in the battle for the rebound and Aaron Kullar sank both freebies to boost the lead to 13 with just over a minute to play.
The Panthers await their state playoff seeding on Sunday.
Local News
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