LOWER LAKE — Headed toward a Friday showdown with Lower Lake, the Kelseyville High School varsity girls” basketball team improved to 2-0 in the Lake County Tournament on Monday with a 42-25 victory over the Upper Lake Cougars at Lower Lake High School.
Although the final score suggests it wasn”t much of a game, that wasn”t the case. Upper Lake closed the deficit to 29-24 early in the fourth quarter before Kelseyville pulled away. Knights guard Monique Santana went seven-for-eight from the free-throw line in the final period to keep her team safely in front.
“Santana was on fire at the free-throw line,” Upper Lake coach Don Meri said.
Santana finished with 11 points, seven assists and three steals. Skyler Olsen led the Knights with 17 points.
“Olsen started hitting some shots from the outside in the second half and that didn”t help,” Meri said.
“We never had much of a cushion,” Kelseyville coach Caitlin Andrus said. “We didn”t get to our level until mid-third quarter. We were not playing smart, we were trying to force things.”
Ashley Arroyo”s six points paced the Cougars, now 1-1 in tournament action. Katherine Edmonds and Taryn Re each had five points.
Kelseyville scored the game”s first 10 points and led 10-3 after one quarter.
“It”s kind of hard to dig yourself out of a 10-0 hole,” Meri said.
Lower Lake 54, Clear Lake 18
In the late varsity game Monday, Jonesha Beasley scored 16 points and Katie Wilder and Katie Swalve added 10 points apiece as the Lower Lake Trojans routed the Clear Lake Cardinals in the debut of Lower Lake coach Jim Salmina.
Lower Lake led 20-6 after one quarter and 34-10 at halftime.
Mari Jordan”s seven points paced the Cardinals, now 0-2 in tournament action.
“When you win going away, you”re happy with that,” Salmina said. “I”m real happy for our first game.”
Tashee Denson scored eight points for the Trojans and April White had six.
