UPPER LAKE >> Natalie Karlsson’s only 3-pointer of the game sealed the deal on Friday night as the Upper Lake Cougars hammered the Tomales Braves 63-21 in North Central League II varsity girls’ basketball action at Upper Lake.
The junior guard scored from near the top of the key with 10.2 seconds left in the first half, her 998th, 999th and 1,000th career points plunging through the net before a large and vocal crowd. Play was then momentarily halted as Upper Lake coach Mike Smith presented Karlsson with the game ball and a Lake County 1,000-point club pin. Among family members in attendance was cousin Fawn Rave, an Upper Lake star from the late 1990s who also finished her career with more than 1,000 points. She was presented with a pin as well.
“She received a nice round of applause,” Upper Lake coach Mike Smith said of the crowd’s reaction to Karlsson’s 1,000th point.
Karlsson, who has more than a full season remaining to add to her total, is the fifth Upper Lake girl and 10th Cougar player overall to reach 1,000 points. She is the second Lake County player to reach that milestone this season, joining Middletown senior Ashlyn Welton.
Needing 15 points entering the game to hit 1,000, Karlsson got off to a quick start and had 10 by the end of the first quarter as the Cougars built a 20-2 lead. Tomales all but conceded the outside shot to Karlsson in the second quarter.
“They were packed in a 2-3 zone and she had five or six 3s go in and out,” Smith said.
Karlsson picked up her 11th and 12 points of the night on a layup midway through the second quarter. She remained stuck on 997 until the final seconds of the half.
“We moved the ball around the perimeter pretty well and (Kayla) Nevarez got the ball to her,” Smith said of the assist that set up Karlsson’s 3-point from just to the right of the top of the key.
The 3-pointer caught all net, according to Smith.
Despite leading the Cougars with 23 points (giving her 1,008 for her career), Karlsson also dished out a team-leading eight assists.
“She’s definitely keeping her teammates in every game, even on a night like this,” Smith said. “That’s a huge attribute to her leadership.”
That two other Cougars also scored in double figures – Kejhana Taylor added 14 points and Brenna Sanchez had 10 – is even more proof of that, according to Smith.
Karlsson has redefined her role with the Cougars this season, according to Smith. As a freshman and sophomore, she didn’t bear the burden of being the Cougars’ go-to person. But with losses to graduation last season – four starters – Karlsson had to become more of a scorer with a better outside shot.
“Most of her points the last two seasons came on breakaways and drives to the hoop,” Smith said. “She wasn’t a big 3-point shooter. It was an element of her game she wanted to work on and I give her a ton of credit for all the hard work she put in over the summer.”
Karlsson’s 3-pointer against Tomales was her county-leading 64th of the 2015-16 season. In her freshman and sophomore years combined, she totaled 45 treys.
Upper Lake, now 7-1 in league and 12-8 overall, is battling Sonoma Academy for the league title this season. The Cougars begin a critical two-game road trip Tuesday when they visit Rincon Valley Christian in Santa Rosa. They head to Petaluma on Friday to take on St. Vincent.
