LAKEPORT — Don”t look now, but those Cougars from Upper Lake are 2-1 in the North Central League I South varsity girls” basketball standings.
Upper Lake pulled into a tie for second place with idle Cloverdale in the South standings on Tuesday night after beating the Clear Lake Cardinals 43-34 at Clear Lake High School in Lakeport.
“They came here and were on it in the first half,” Clear Lake coach Jennifer Goff said of Upper Lake”s hot shooting during the first two quarters. “Upper Lake showed up ready to play, a lot of hustle.”
The Cougars (2-1 South, 7-13 overall) led 13-5 after one quarter and 29-14 at halftime. They led by as many as 19 points and enjoyed a double-digit lead throughout much of the second half.
Katy DeVries scored 12 points and Rebecca Swaney had nine to spark Upper Lake. Briana Butcher”s 13 paced the Cardinals (1-2, 7-10) and Kaila Sterbank had 10. Butcher went 6-for-8 at the free-throw line.
“She was our most consistent scorer,” Goff said. “She was playing very solid for us.”
Ashley Perry also turned in a solid performance for Clear Lake with eight rebounds and two steals.
“She really came ready to play,” Goff said. “She played a great defensive game.”
In other girls” action Tuesday:
Willits 42, Lower Lake 41
At Willits, April White”s 8-foot jumper bounced off the backside of the rim as the buzzer sounded as the Lower Lake Trojans lost a NCL I North nail-biter to the Willits Wolverines.
The Trojans (1-2, 6-14) missed a fastbreak layup in the final seconds that would have put them in front. Fortunately for Lower Lake, the ball touched a Willits player before bouncing out of bounds.
“That gave us the time to organize one more shot,” Lower Lake coach Andrew Carpenter said.
The Trojans ran a baseline play to White and her shot missed the mark as time expired.
Lower Lake”s inability to convert free throws hurt the team again, according to Carpenter. While Willits went 8-for-14 for the game, the Trojans were just 2-for-11.
Darlena White”s 16 points led the Trojans and younger sister April had 10.
Boys” basketball
Willits 56, Lower Lake 41
At Lower Lake, the Lower Lake Trojans couldn”t generate enough offense down the stretch to keep pace with the Willits Wolverines, who pulled away in the fourth quarter to win the NCL I North game.
Willits took a 37-31 lead into the final period.
“We struggle scoring, that”s no secret,” Lower Lake coach Marty Udy said. “We were without out best 3-point shooter (Joseph) Taylor for the second straight game and that didn”t help,” Udy said of his sophomore forward, who suffers from bronchitis.
Paul Bailey and David Clark scored 17 points apiece as the Trojans fell to 0-3 in the North standings and 4-16 overall.
Lower Lake spent most of the game coming back from an 18-6 first-quarter deficit.
“Tonight it was basically half-court offense for us with a few fastbreaks sprinkled in,” Udy said. “That”s not going to get you enough points to win a basketball game.”
Lower Lake had only four offensive rebounds.
Bright spots for the Trojans were Bailey and Clark.
“They kept us in the game,” Udy said.
Clark finished with a double-double as he pulled down 11 rebounds.
Only two other Lower Lake players scored during the game.
Willits improved to 2-1 in the North standings.
Clear Lake 73, Upper Lake 58
At Lakeport, Clear Lake went 25-for-36 from the free-throw line and snapped its four-game losing streak by beating the Upper Lake Cougars in NCL I South action.
It was the first league win for the Cardinals (1-2, 12-8), who were led by Ryan Richardson”s 21 points. Brandon Mendoza”s 25 points paced the Cougars (1-2, 8-10).
“We”re just playing some ugly basketball at both ends of the court right now,” Upper Lake coach Forrest Stogner said. “I was real pleased with my guys off the bench. They listen to me and I”m going to play the guys who listen to me.”
Clear Lake outscored Upper Lake 22-12 in the second quarter to open up a 37-25 lead.
Noel McCormack had 13 points for Clear Lake and Cory Dillon finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
