UPPER LAKE — When the Kelseyville Knights made a run to get close, the Upper Lake Cougars responded every time.
“Every run they made at us, we were able to run and get our lead back up to 10 points,” Upper Lake coach Forrest Stogner said of the Cougars” 75-56 victory over the Kelseyville Knights in a North Central League I interlock varsity boys” basketball game on Friday in Upper Lake.
“Every time we got close, they answered,” Kelseyville coach Scott Conrad said. “Upper Lake played a great game.”
Upper Lake improved to 6-7 on the season and is just one win shy of matching its total from all of last season when the Cougars finished 7-16.
Kyle Coleman nearly had a triple-double to spark the Cougars. The senior finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
“I thought Coleman really killed us,” Conrad said. “Everything they did he was a big part of.”
Upper Lake also received a strong performance from Nick Palomo, who led the Cougars with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Dillon Gonzales added 14 points.
Nick Schaefer scored a season- and career-high 19 points for the Knights. Mike Allen added 10 points and Mike Duman, who almost didn”t play because of illness, gutted it out and finished with seven points and team highs of 13 rebounds and five steals.
“He was as sick as a dog,” Conrad said. “He really put himself out there tonight.”
Upper Lake”s defense turned in one of its better efforts of the season, according to Stogner.
“If you”re going to fastbreak and transition, you have to play defense and get rebounds,” Stogner said.
Conrad said the Knights once again struggled from the field, something that has hurt them all season.
“My kids played really hard and did everything I asked them to. We just didn”t put the ball in the basket enough,” Conrad said.
Stogner also was pleased with his team”s overall effort.
“We played good down the stretch and the coach only lost his voice a couple of times,” Stogner said.
Upper Lake also beat Kelseyville 71-61 last month at the Record-Bee Hoop Classic in Lower Lake, a loss that cost the Knights the tournament championship.
While Upper Lake doesn”t return to action until Tuesday at home against Middletown, the Knights are right back at it today in Lakeport against Clear Lake. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
In other action Friday:
Cloverdale 73, Lower Lake 43
At Cloverdale, Mitch Delfino scored 19 points and Robbie Rowland added 18 as the Cloverdale Eagles cruised past the Lower Lake Trojans in NCL I interlock action.
“Delfino is a light”s-out shooter from the outside and Rowland is just an all-purpose player, the hub of their offense even though he”s not the point guard,” Lower Lake coach Marty Udy said.
David Clark”s 18 points paced the Trojans and Jaymen Richardson and Paul Bailey had eight apiece.
Cloverdale led 45-16 at haltime.
“It really wasn”t a competitive game to be honest with you,” Udy said. “They ovepowered us in all facets.”
