The Yakima Valley men's basketball team earned its third straight win last Thursday over Grays Harbor, going on a big second-half run to claim an 84-68 victory at the Yakima Valley crossover at Shearer Gymnasium.
 

Cesar Hernandez led four players in double figures with 21 points and Kal-El Gentles went 9-for-9 from the floor on the way to 18 points and 10 rebounds. Shane Rivera added 14 points and five rebounds on 6-of-7 shooting and TraVaughn Brigance scored 12 as YVC shot 56.9% (33-of-58) from the floor. Jodie Shavers added eight points off the bench and Koby McClure had seven assists to go with five points, helping the Yaks cruise to an easy win after being tied at halftime.
 

The Yaks didn't fare as well on Friday against Linn-Benton, falling 84-69 to a team they defeated by nine points last Sunday at the Sasquatch Classic. Hernandez scored a team-high 16 points, while Rivera and Gentles each scored 10. McClure and D'Anthony Rabb scored eight points apiece and Gentles grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, but it wasn't enough as YVC was outscored 49-37 down the stretch.
 

In Saturday's tournament finale against Bellevue, the Yaks nearly came back from an eight-point halftime deficit before falling 67-64. Rivera and McClure each scored 11 and Gentles tallied nine points as YVC had a difficult shooting night, going 40.4% (23-of-57). Hernandez went just 1-of-13 from the floor and finished with eight points and five assists. Shavers added eight points and seven rebounds, and Brigance scored seven points off the bench.
 

The Yaks (3-5 overall) are off until after Christmas and will travel to the Everett Classic on Dec. 28-29 before opening conference play Jan. 7 at home against Blue Mountain.