LOWER LAKE — Some teams talk about playing good defense, some teams play good defense, and then there”s the kind of defense the Kelseyville Knights have put on display in their last nine games, which ranks something on the order of out of this world.
Led by Lauren Nixon, Jill Bailey and Jodi Snider, the stingy Knights from K-town rationed out points with an eye dropper Friday night as they beat the Lower Lake Trojans 50-29 in a North Central League I North varsity girls” basketball game at Lower Lake.
“We can flat out play defense,” said an impressed Kelseyville coach Jim Salmina, who has watched his squad reel off eight straight victories since a 56-53 overtime loss at Fort Bragg on Jan. 16.
Since losing to the Timberwolves (7-1), Kelseyville has allowed an average of just under 28 points a game. The Knights (6-1 North, 17-8 overall) also beat Fort Bragg 44-29 during their current winning streak.
If Kelseyville can close out its North schedule with a win at home on Tuesday against Middletown (0-7), the Knights will secure a league co-championship and a berth in the upcoming North Coast Section Division IV playoffs.
“We can”t play any better than we are now,” Salmina said of the Knights” stellar play on the defensive end. “If we can match our offense to our defense, look out.”
“Kelseyville is playing solid defense right now,” said Lower Lake coach Andrew Carpenter, who watched the Trojans dip to 3-4 in the North standings and 15-10 overall.
Nixon”s big night against Lower Lake included 19 points, 20 rebounds, five blocks, five steals and four assists. When the Trojans lost their starting center, Passion Allen-LeNard to foul trouble in the fourth quarter, Nixon took over the game.
“She dominated inside once Passion left, they couldn”t stop her,” Salmina said.
“We had no one to match up with her,” Carpenter added.
Snider had 11 points, nine rebounds, five steals and four assists. Teammate Bailey added seven points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals.
“It was great game for the entire team, but especially our two seniors,” Salmina said of Nixon and Bailey, both three-year starters.
Megan Mucks had nine points for the Trojans.
