LOWER LAKE — Two of the better individual efforts at this year”s Record-Bee Hoop Classic took place on Thursday night at the Lower Lake High School gym.
In varsity action, Kelseyville High School sophomore Max Huff scored 35 points ? 33 in the first three quarters ? as the Knights beat the Upper Lake Cougars 63-52. Huff barely played in the fourth quarter, taking one shot and making it before retiring to the bench with the game already well in hand. Had he remained on the floor for any significant time in the final period, the Hoop Classic single-game scoring record of 37 points by former Lower Lake High School star Vince Alderman would have been history and then some.
In the junior varsity game that followed between Lower Lake and Clear Lake, Clear Lake”s Steven Edwards scored all 18 of his points in the fourth quarter to rally the Cardinals from a 10-point deficit and lead them to a 46-42 win. Edwards didn”t even start the game ? he was benched in the opening period for disciplinary reasons.
Contest winners
Ryan Richardson of Clear Lake and George Novak of Lower Lake won the varsity 3-point and free-throw contests on Friday night. Richardson sank 3-pointers in 60 seconds while Novak went 5-for-5 at the free-throw line.
In the junior varsity division, Steven Edwards of Clear Lake and Kyle Brown of Middletown were the winners. Edwards hit 14 3-pointers to win the contest for a second year in a row. Brown beat Upper Lake”s Jared Wade in a shoot-off.
All four winners received plaques and T-shirts. Winners who don”t graduate are automatically entered into next year”s contests at Clear Lake High School during the 17th annual Hoop Classic.
Would be a first
If the varsity champion in the Hoop Classic finishes with a 3-1 record this year, it will mark the first time in the tournament”s history that back-to-back varsity winners have done so. In 12 previous Hoop Classics the varsity winner has gone 4-0.
Awards ceremony
All awards other than those given to special contest winners on Friday are presented following the final game tonight. The spirit award, MVP, Sixth Man, All-Tourney and team trophies will be presented at that time. Coaches vote for the All-Tourney teams and the Record-Bee also casts a ballot.
