KELSEYVILLE — The Kelseyville Knights have a date with Justin-Siena tonight in the Stokes Tournament varsity boys” championship game after knocking off defending Stokes champion Capuchino of San Bruno 57-43 on Friday morning in Kelseyville.
Kelseyville, now 2-0 in the tournament standings and 3-0 overall, had the game put away by the end of the third quarter with a commanding 43-23 lead.
Senior forward Max Huff scored at least four points in every quarter and finished with a team-best 18 for the Knights. He also led the club with 11 rebounds. Devon Call came off the bench to score another 15, all on 3-pointers.
“It will be a test,” Kelseyville coach Scott Conrad said of tonight”s 7:30 p.m. championship contest with the Braves, who routed Kelseyville 71-35 a year ago during Stokes action. “We haven”t forgotten what happened last year. We”ve got some stuff to prove. Win or lose, we need to put in the effort against those guys,” Conrad added.
The Knights certainly put in the effort Friday against Capuchino even if they didn”t think so with a 24-14 halftime lead.
“We struggled offensively the whole first half and the kids were really frustrated. I was excited we had a 10-point lead,” Conrad said.
Kelseyville found its stride in the second half and Conrad said he wasn”t surprised.
“We have enough weapons that sooner or later the offense is going to get going … and it did,” Conrad said.
Huff scored six points in the third quarter and also had several assists in the period.
Meanwhile Kelseyville”s defense limited Capuchino junior forward Zachary Kohtz to 11 points through three quarters. He finished with 21, the only Mustangs player to reach double figures.
“That kid is relentless,” Conrad said of Kohtz. “He is big, strong and fast.”
Mark MacDonald guarded Kohtz most of the way although Call and others rotated in to give MacDonald a break.
“Mark did a great job,” Conrad said.
Oscar Lopez added eight points and five assists, Wyatt Ferrell had seven points and James Green grabbed eight rebounds for the Knights.
Justin-Siena 72, El Molino 48
Trey Boles led a balanced Justin-Siena attack with 13 points as the Braves routed the El Molino Lions in second-round action. Eli Granata, Marcus Armstrong-Brown and Derek Wrenn had 10 points apiece for Justin-Siena.
Kyle Branson”s 12 points led El Molino.
San Rafael 69, Orland 66
In a game that was dead even at 52 through three quarters, the San Rafael Bulldogs outscored Orland 17-14 in the fourth quarter to win their first Stokes game.
Sho Bramah came up big for the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter, scoring eight of his team-leading 24 points in the period.
, including two of his four 3-pointers in the game. Liam Maley powered San Rafael early on with 14 of his 16 points coming in the first half. Nick Sterling added 14 points.
Kavi Ram”s 17 points paced Orland, now 0-2 in the Stokes standings. Jordan Long added 16 points, including four 3-pointers.
