VARSITY GIRLS – OROVILLE TOURNAMENT OPENER
CORE Butte entered their first tournament of the season with momentum, having started the year 3-0 and coming off a decisive home win against Paradise. But on Dec. 10, their opening matchup at the Oroville Tournament proved far tighter than anticipated. Facing the surging Gridley Bulldogs, the Lynx were handed their first loss of the season in an extremely narrow final score of 35-33.
CORE controlled the opening minutes and outplayed Gridley early with a 10-6 lead after the first quarter, and maintained a 19-12 advantage at halftime. But the tone shifted in the third, where Gridley’s defensive pressure cut into CORE’s rhythm and helped the Bulldogs outscore the Lynx 12-7. By the fourth, both teams traded possessions in a low-scoring quarter, but late misses prevented CORE from reclaiming control.
The loss drops CORE Butte to 3-1 and ends their early-season winning streak. They remain in the Oroville Tournament for their second tournament game, where they will meet the host Tigers, currently 1-4, on Dec. 12.
(Q1: 10–6, Q2: 9–6, Q3: 7–12, Q4: 7–11)
VARSITY BOYS – MAXWELL TOURNAMENT OPENER
CORE Butte began their Maxwell Tournament run Thursday night with another difficult draw, this time against the host Panthers, who wasted no time setting the tone. They opened the game with a three-pointer on the first possession and never gave up momentum, leading them to hand CORE a whopping 63-27 defeat in the Lynx’s fourth consecutive loss.
Maxwell’s pressure defense created immediate issues for CORE. They forced too many turnovers in transition and kept the Lynx from establishing any interior presence. Free throws and second-chance points widened the gap, and by halftime Maxwell had built a commanding 39-12 lead. CORE showed flashes in the second half when they hit a pair of three-pointers in the third quarter, but Maxwell’s speed and rebounding advantage continued to dictate the pace.
Coach Benjamin Salberg pointed directly to rebounding as the defining difference. “We’re simplifying stuff for them…it’s easier for them to score than for us,” he said postgame. “When you don’t get a rebound, it’s pretty easy for them to score. When the rebound is right there, and they can just put it back in, it’s the easiest.”
He also noted that CORE is still early in the season. “At the end of the day, it’s just the preparation overall, and that’s on me. I haven’t had enough time with these guys to really lock in.”
The loss brings CORE Butte to 0-4. Their next appearance in the Maxwell Tournament will come on the 12th against Willows.