LOWER LAKE >> The undefeated veteran team squared off against the talented and young up-and-comers on Friday night during second-round varsity girls’ action at the second annual Chernoh Excavating Classic at Lower Lake High School.
Notch one for the up-and-comers, who in this case are the Lower Lake Trojans, 49-48 winners over the Upper Lake Cougars.
Ashlynn Mock’s fifth and final 3-pointer of the night with 30 seconds remaining gave Lower Lake (6-4) a 49-48 lead and the Trojans survived two shots by Upper Lake (10-1) in the final 8.8 seconds to hang on for the win. Mock finished with a team-leading 15 points while Jolean Scarborough pulled down 18 rebounds. Aleia Milano added 10 points.
“There was no quit in either team,” Lower Lake coach Jim Salmina said. “This game could have gone either way.”
Jojo Augustine’s 18 points powered an Upper Lake team that had a miserable night at the free-throw line, hitting just 11 of 32 shots. Natalie Karlsson had 10 points.
“They got to the line a lot more than we did but they couldn’t make their shots,” Salmina said.
Even Lower Lake struggled at the line down the stretch. With a chance to add to its lead in the final seconds, the Trojans missed the front end of a one-and-one, giving Upper Lake two shots at winning the game.
“They’re big and physical,” Salmina said of the Cougars. “They’ve been knocking off everyone and they’re either one or two in their league. I’m really happy with this team. They’re working hard and they keep getting better.”
“Mental fatigue and physical fatigue,” Upper Lake coach Mike Smith said of the Cougars’ free-throw woes. “I used only seven players and they were rotating in players five at a time. They do a good job with their rotations.”
Smith said the Cougars faced intense man-to-man pressure for the first time this season.
“It was intense just like the playoffs,” Smith said. “We were playing at their place and they were fired up to beat us.
“We had our opportunities to win,” he added.
Smith gave high marks to the play of Autumn Martinez and Augustine.
“Martinez fought through a headache and played one hell of a game,” Smith said. “Jojo had one of the best post moves I’ve even seen. She was real solid in there.”
Upper Lake led 16-7 after one quarter but Lower Lake came roaring back with a 20-7 second quarter. Mock hit her first 3-pointers in that period to spark the Trojans’ offense.
“We wanted to get a hand in their face on those shots but didn’t do a very good job,” Smith said
Both teams close out tournament action today. Lower Lake plays Vintage at 6 p.m. while Upper Lake takes on Kelseyville at 3 p.m.
Lower Lake lost 69-58 to Rancho Cotate in opening-round play on Thursday despite 12 points apiece from Milano and Scarborough and nine from Mock. The Trojans took a 51-50 lead into the fourth quarter before the Cougars rallied with a big 19-point fourth quarter.
“The girls did a great job,” Salmina said.
Upper Lake beat Vintage 61-48 in first-round action Thursday. Augustine led the Cougars with 15 points and five blocks shots. She also had nine rebounds. Karlsson finished with 14 points, 12 assists and five steals, LaShaye Taylor had 12 points, and Martinez chipped in with eight points and five steals.
In other Chernoh Classic varsity girls’ action Friday:
Rancho Cotate 50
Kelseyville 45
Kelseyville held off Rancho Cotate’s big front line for a half before the Cougars rallied in the third quarter to beat the Knights in a second-round game.
The Knights (5-4) took a 25-18 lead into halftime only to watch the Cougars outscore them 23-10 in the third quarter. Two Rancho Cotate players — 5-foot-10 forward Camille Spackman and 6-0 center Reilani Peleti — combined for all of the Cougars’ points in the third quarter. Spackman scored 12 of her 18 in the period while Peleti had 11.
“They are very big all the way around,” Kelseyville coach Jim Hale said. “It was a good challenge for us. Even though we lost, we played with a much bigger school.”
Riley Goff scored 26 points to power the Knights and Heidy Cano added nine. Goff connected on four 3-pointers.
In Thursday’s first-round action, Kelseyville beat El Molino behind 18 points from Goff, 10 from Alma Perez and seven from Taylor Hale.
Kelseyville closes out tournament play today with a 3 p.m. game against Upper Lake, a team the Knights lost to 38-36 back on Dec. 2 in Upper Lake.
“I’m looking forward to playing them again,” Hale said. “They’re a lot like Rancho Cotate.”
JUNIOR VARSITY
Kelseyville 51
Vintage 40
Bailey Couey scored 16 points and Tymeka Green added 11 as Kelseyville beat Vintage in second-round JV girls’ action.
Clear Lake 32
Upper Lake 28
Corin Alakszay’s 19 points powered the undefeated Clear Lake Cardinals to a win over Upper Lake in second-round action. KJ Taylor’s 12 points paced Upper Lake.
