KELSEYVILLE >> Around the rim the ball went before falling harmlessly to the floor. It took only a second but it seemed much longer to Jim Hale, the very much relieved varsity girls’ basketball coach at Kelseyville High after watching his Knights hold on for a 41-39 victory over Las Plumas High School of Oroville on Saturday afternoon at Kelseyville.
Kelseyville (9-3) built as much as a 16-point lead before the Thunderbirds, led by a 13-point fourth quarter from sophomore guard Chava Rivers, came storming back in the final minutes.
“She didn’t score a single point in the first three quarters,” Hale said of Rivers. “But she went on some kind of a run there at the end.”
Kelseyville nursed a 41-38 lead into the final seconds when the Knights fouled a Las Plumas player who was attempting to tie the game with a 3-pointer with less than two seconds remaining. Awarded three free throws, she missed the first, hit the second and then missed the third, but the Thunderbirds pulled down the offensive rebound and got off a shot before the final horn sounded.
“It was close, too close for me,” Hale said of the potential game-tying basket that just missed.
Kelseyville led just 17-15 at halftime but had a 28-21 advantage through three quarters. The Knights pushed that lead into double digits early in the final period before the Thunderbirds rallied behind the play of Rivers and their post players.
“They had good post play,” Hale said. “It kind of reminded me of Upper Lake’s post players last year. They were very active inside.”
Riley Goff’s 17 points paced the Knights, who are home tonight to play Fort Bragg in the North Central League I opener for both teams. Payton Conrad added eight points and Haleigh Meyer had six
