River Valley junior guard Avneeth Gill (4) drives to the basket in the Lady Falcons’ 46-34 defeat to Yuba City on Friday, January 19. Photo by Steven Bryla

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - The Yuba City girls’ basketball team kept their playoff hopes within reach as they beat their cross-town rivals in the River Valley Lady Falcons 46-34 on Friday, January 19.

The win for Yuba City solidified the Lady Honkers into fourth place in the Capital Valley Conference standings. According to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section website, the top three in the CVC will get an automatic playoff berth into the postseason.

Yuba City junior guard Juliana Vasquez (30) celebrates the 46-34 victory over River Valley on Friday, January 19. Photo by Chris Pedigo

Yuba City Head Coach Michelle Brazil expressed to the Dispatch the victory was big on two separate levels.

“It brought us to a good spot in the league and mentally,” Brazil said.

She added the mental part of the impact it had on the team was with its third win within a week as the Lady Honkers beat Roseville on January 12, and Bella Vista on January 17.

Yuba City was a confident team in the first half of the game, as they had good ball movement, spaced the floor out offensively and were able to contest River Valley into a lot of difficult shots.

Yuba City senior forward Josie Carrick (24) shoots a fade away in the Lady Honkers’ 46-34 win over River Valley on Friday, January 19. Photo by Steven Bryla

The Lady Honkers led 22-15 at the half.

Yuba City junior guard Juliana Vasquez (30) shoots a three-pointer in the Lady Honkers’ 46-34 victory on Friday, January 19, over River Valley. Photo by Steven Bryla

Lady Falcons Head Coach Thomas Zaragoza expressed to the Dispatch that Yuba City was more aggressive and took care of the ball better throughout the game.

River Valley was able to take the lead from the Lady Honkers halfway through the third quarter as junior guards Gurleen Nijjar and Avneeth Gill led the charge offensively for the Lady Falcons.

River Valley junior guard Sukhman Kandola (2) shoots a three pointer in the Lady Falcons’ 46-34 loss to Yuba City on Friday, January 19. Photo by Steven Bryla

Although River Valley made a good run in the third quarter, Yuba City didn’t score its first point in the quarter until there was two-and-a-half minutes left in the quarter.

The Lady Honkers implemented a full-court press the final couple minutes of the third and early in the fourth quarter, which caused multiple turnovers by the Lady Falcons.

Yuba City junior guard Juliana Vasquez (30) shoots a three-pointer in the Lady Honkers’ 46-34 victory on Friday, January 19, over River Valley. Photo by Steven Bryla

“It was an aggressive press where they wanted you to make mistakes, and that’s exactly what we did,” Zaragoza said.

Yuba City junior guard Juliana Vasquez and senior forward Josie Carrick expressed to the Dispatch that the press they ran later in the game helped them force turnovers and eventually maintain the lead they built off of the turnovers committed by River Valley.

Carrick was a problem down low against River Valley, as her lengthy frame pulled down 16 rebounds on the night and helped with three blocks on the defensive end.

Vasquez chipped in on all cylinders as she tied for the team-high in points (10), had five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

The Lady Honkers quickly jumped ahead by six points early in the fourth and never allowed it to get any closer than that for the rest of the game.

Yuba City freshman forward Lali Cortez (14) goes up for a rebound in the Lady Honkers’ 46-34 win over River Valley on Friday, January 19. Photo by Steven Bryla

As both teams moved onto the second half of league this week, Brazil told the Dispatch a key for Yuba City is not to try and play their opponent’s game.

“If we’re patient and play as a team, that’s where I believe we can be competitive and give ourselves a chance to stay in games,” Brazil said.

Yuba City junior guard Juliana Vasquez (30) shoots a three-pointer in the Lady Honkers’ 46-34 win on Friday, January 19 over River Valley. Photo by Steven Bryla