UPPER LAKE >> As Natalie Karlsson goes, so go the Upper Lake Cougars. Based on the week Karlsson just had, the Cougars go well.
Upper Lake High School’s junior point guard scored 16 points on Friday night — giving her 82 in three games this week — as the Cougars knocked off Rincon Valley Christian 40-35 in North Central League II varsity girls’ basketball action in Upper Lake.
The win elevates the Cougars (2-0 league, 7-7 overall) to .500 for the season.
“We were feeling it,” Upper Lake coach Mike Smith said of the effects of a third game this week. “We had some tired legs out there.”
Rincon Valley used a box-and-one defense during the first half in an attempt to slow down Karlsson. She took advantage of the extra attention from the Eagles’ defense to pass the ball to open teammates Kejhana Taylor (8 points) and Brenna Sanchez (6 points).
“She had a lot of trust in her teammates and they came through,” Smith said.
With Taylor and Sanchez in foul trouble late in the game (they both fouled in the fourth quarter), the Cougars received a couple of clutch baskets from Dakota Fugate, according to Smith.
“She hit one in the third quarter and one in the fourth and they were both big,” Smith said. “Tonight we had a team-strong team effort.”
Upper Lake also won the junior varsity game 12-10.
