Two teams desperately in need of a win squared off Friday night at the Carl Delgado Gym in Lower Lake and it was the host Trojans who came away with that victory, 62-48, over the Kelseyville Knights in a North Central League I North varsity boys” basketball game.
“It really was,” Lower Lake coach Marty Udy when asked if it was a make-or-break game for the Trojans, who snapped a three-game losing streak while improving to 1-1 in the North standings and 10-7 overall. “We still think we have a shot at winning the league, but if you lose one more that hope is over ? you can”t falter.”
Lower Lake fell 54-41 to North favorite Fort Bragg (3-0) in its league opener on Tuesday in Fort Bragg and the Trojans are hoping to stay within a game of the Timberwolves until the two teams meet again Feb. 1 in Lower Lake.
“We”ve got to do it every night from now on,” Udy said.
Trailing by four points late in the first half, the Trojans went on a mini-run in the final two minutes of the second half to move ahead 27-24 at the intermission.
“We had a little momentum the last two minutes of the first half and that carried over into the second half,” Udy said. “I thought we were aggressive and we got a lot out of our press.”
Lower Lake center Kevin Freeman scored 11 of his team-leading 28 points in the period, including three of his four 3-pointers.
A.J. Harris added 10 points, Angel Macias had eight and Mike Deakins chipped in seven points, seven rebounds and six steals to power Lower Lake.
“I”m really proud of our guys for their hustle, effort and determination,” Udy said. “They really went after it tonight.”
Isaac McQueen and Mike Duman led Kelseyville with nine points apiece and Nick Schaefer added seven.
“We were completely outplayed in every facet of the game,” Kelseyville coach Scott Conrad said.
“We had a heart to heart (after the game) and I told them they need to decide how we”re going to turn things around,” Conrad said as the Knights, losers of four in a row, fell to 0-3 in league and 9-8 overall.
Contact Brian Sumpter at RBSports@aol.com.
