Playing one less game in the Cen-Cal Holiday Classic tournament didn’t hurt the Matilda Torres Toros girls basketball team in preparation for its title defense in its own tournament.
In the quarterfinal round, the Toros received a forfeit victory from Selma to advance to the semifinals. The Toros easily dispatched the Corcoran Panthers, 55-29, on December 20 to advance to the tournament championship the next day.
However, awaiting the Toros in the championship were the Mendota Aztecs, the same team that eliminated the Toros from last year’s playoff. It was a different story this year as the Toros wore down the Aztecs. Torres outscored Mendota 21-14 in the second half, including a 14-3 third quarter for a 36-32 victory.