After suffering their first Foothill League loss of the season, Golden Valley (15-7, 6-1) bounced back Friday night with a solid 54-40 victory over West Ranch, led by a strong all-around performance from Donovan Webb.

Despite the setback in their previous game, the Grizzlies did not dwell on the loss and instead turned their focus forward. Golden Valley coach Travis Divita said once that game ended, the message was clear: the past couldn’t be changed, so preparation became the priority.

While quickly moving on from a loss can be difficult, Divita said having a mature roster makes that process much easier.

“We have a mature group and that’s the benefit of having a mature group of seniors,” said Divita.

He added that beyond their maturity on the court, the team is well-rounded academically, carrying an impressive team GPA of approximately 4.2.

That preparation showed on the floor, as Webb finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals to lead Golden Valley. The Grizzlies jumped out to a 14-7 lead by the end of the first quarter and held a 27-21 advantage at halftime as West Ranch began to build momentum.

“We knew we were going to be in for a physical game, West Ranch always plays hard, credit to Des and the rest of the staff for that,” said Divita.

In the first half, Webb scored nine points, while Nyirrel Harrill added eight points for West Ranch before finishing with 11 points.

Nyirrel Harrill inbounding the ball. Gino Salas | KHTS

The second half remained a competitive, back-and-forth battle, but the Grizzlies maintained control throughout and never relinquished the lead on their way to the 14-point win.

Divita credited the team’s competitiveness while also emphasizing the importance of staying grounded and respecting every opponent.

“There’s not much to it, honestly. It’s just focus on respecting your opponent and focusing on the next game and keep moving,” said Divita.

Golden Valley will look to keep its momentum going Friday when it travels to face Castaic at 6:30 p.m. West Ranch’s next league game will also be against Castaic, scheduled for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

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