ORLAND >> Tournament host Orland held a 13-9 lead after one quarter against the Kelseyville Knights on Thursday in the opening round of the Orland Tournament. Turns out that was as good as it would get for the tournament hosts.
The Knights, behind 21 points from Riley Goff, 18 from Alma Perez and 12 from Payton Conrad, roared back to rout the Trojans 70-38 and advance to today’s semifinals against Gridley at 3:30 p.m.
“We have to figure out how to start a game,” Kelseyville coach Jim Hale said of the Knights’ lethargic start. “After that we were OK.”
Kelseyville (7-1) used a 22-9 second quarter to push in front to stay. A 20-10 third quarter gave the Knights a commanding 51-32 lead entering the final period.
Orland’s best player, who Hale described as a 6-foot-4 center, was held in check most of the way by Kelseyville’s Carli Mendonca, who finished with eight points and seven rebounds.
“Mendonca did a great job with her,” Hale said. “The girls stepped over a big hurdle tonight as far as attacking a team with a good center.”
Kelseyville’s reserves also gave the Knights a spark or two at different points in the game, according to Hale.
“I saw some good energy coming off the bench,” Hale said.
Goff and Perez each had five assists to go along with their team-leading point totals.
“I thought we shared the ball very well,” Hale said of the Knights’ balanced scoring.
Kelsyville also won in the junior varsity division, beating Gridley 42-38 behind 11 points each from Bailey Couey and Brisa Villa and another 10 from Tymeka Green. The JV Knights play Red Bluff today at 2 p.m. in the semifinals.
