KELSEYVILLE >> Playing a team you’re supposed to beat is a situation most head coaches don’t relish because the pressure is squarely on the favored team.
Kelseyville found itself in that situation on Tuesday at home against the St. Helena Saints and the Knights passed the test with a defense-driven 59-41 victory that leaves St. Helena 0-7 at the midway mark of the 2016 league season. Kelseyville is now 5-2 and 15-4 overall.
“This is one of those games that is unsettling from the coaches seat,” Conrad said. “St. Helena isn’t as bad as their record. They’ve got some big guys and some shooters. They’ve been close in a couple of their games.”
While Kelseyville didn’t have its best shooting night of the season, the Knights’ defense was there for four quarters, according to Conrad.
“We did a great job of contesting shots, holding them to one shot,” Conrad said. “That’s how we took control of the game.”
The Knights led 17-8 after one quarter and never looked back. Kyle Ellis led the way with 14 points, Ean Valenzuela added 11 and Hunter Beatty had 10. Nick Pfann finished with nine points and seven assists.
In other boys’ action Tuesday:
Willits 48, M’town 37
At Willits, the Middletown Mustangs fell to the Willits Wolverines in a battle of 1-5 teams entering play.
Thomas Cook, Jake Olson and Gabe Guzman finsihed with eight points apiece for the Mustangs.
Willits led 16-7 after one quarter on the strength of 12 points by Anthony Sorace, who sank 3-pointers on each of the Wolverines’ first three possessions of the game. He had 17 of Willits’ 27 first-half points and finished the game with 24.
Upper Lake 62, Tech 58
At Upper Lake, the Cougars won the battle of 3-3 teams in the NCL II standings behind 28 points from Isaac Nevarez, who returned to the lineup after recovering from knee injury.
“Tim Beffa saved us with his defense,” Upper Lake coach Justin Dutcher said.
Upper Lake (3-3, 10-7) played a box-and-one defense around Tech star Himansu Singh and limited him to just 12 points.
“He did not score when Tim was in the game,” Dutcher said. “He played one heck of a game.”
Beffa also finished with nine points.
Upper Lake beat Roseland Collegiate 78-17 in JV action.
Girls’ basketball
M’town 60, Willits 20
At Middletown, rebounding from their loss to Kelseyville on Friday night, the Middletown Mustangs remained a game behind the Knights in the NCL I standings with a lopsided victory over the Willits Wolverines.
Middletown (5-1, 13-5) led 18-8 after one quarter and 33-12 at halftime.
“Our offense was crisp and our defense was effective all night,” Middletown coach Anthony Bazzano said.
Ashlyn Welton led the Mustangs with 34 points, 13 rebounds and five steals. Makenzi Smith added 12 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists while Abby Aden had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Upper Lake 48, Tech 43
At Upper Lake, Natalie Karlsson’s journey to 1,000 career points is just about over. The junior guard scored 28 as the Cougars improved to 6-1 in the NCL II standings with a victory over Tech.
Karlsson needs 15 more points to hit the career milestone and she could do it Friday night when the Cougars open the second half of their league schedule at home against Tomales.
The game was a tale of two halves. Upper Lake led 36-28 at halftime but the two teams combined for only 27 second-half points.
“I subbed in some kids and our rhythm never really came back,” Upper Lake coach Mike Smith said.
The game also turned physical in the second half.
“There were a couple of hard fouls on both sides and it got interesting,” Smith said. “It changed the tone of the game.”
Brenna Sanchez had eight points for the Cougars, now 11-8 overall, and Isabel Rorabaugh and Kejhana Taylor each had six.
“Rorabaugh played a great game,” Smith said. “All six of her points came in the first quarter and she gave us some nice ballhandling in the second half. She did a lot of the dirty work for us.”
Rorabaugh also had seven rebounds.
