UPPER LAKE >> The Clear Lake Cardinals fell into Upper Lake”s trap, both figuratively and literally on Tuesday night during a non-league varsity girls” basketball tussle between these two Lake County teams at Upper Lake High School.
“We extended our trap defense in the second quarter,” Upper Lake coach Mike Smith said of the spark that fueled a 24-point Cougar outburst in a 56-44 victory over the Cardinals, a win that pushes Upper Lake”s season record to 6-0.
“The trap was effective in that quarter,” Smith said of the multiple turnovers it created, leading to a handful of easy buckets by the Cougars.
Sophomore guard Natalie Karlsson (15 points) and LaShaye Taylor (12 points) each tallied eight points in the second quarter as the Cougars outscored the Cardinals 24-11 to open up a 34-21 halftime lead. Jojo Augustine (14 points) and Skylar Orozco (10 points) also scored in double figures for an Upper Lake team that wasn”t even at full strength.
“We only had two subs,” Smith said. “We had one player out injured and another out for disciplinary reasons.” As a result, Autum Martinez played considerably more minutes than she normally would have as did Orozco.
“The girls just stepped up,” Smith said. “Martinez made some tough defensive plays for us.”
Clear Lake”s Taylor Helms led all scorers with 26 points but another of the Cardinals” primary weapons, Aliza Atkins, managed just three against Upper Lake”s defense.
“We did a really good job to hold her to three,” Smith said of Atkins. “She”s a beast.”
Unable to sustain its defensive pressure in the third quarter, Upper Lake watched Helms score 10 of Clear Lake”s 12 third-quarter points.
“She”s tough and she really stepped it up,” Smith said of Helms. “She knifed through our defense.”
Justine Beyer had seven points for the Cardinals (3-2).
Both teams return to action today. Upper Lake plays Round Valley at 3:30 p.m. In the first round of the Potter Valley Tournament while Clear Lake travels to Healdsburg to play Novato in the first round of the Redwood Empire Invitational at 8:30 p.m. Those tournaments run through Saturday.
