SANTA ROSA >> Perhaps a bit overconfident entering play, the Upper Lake Cougars needed a strong finish to hold off Roseland Collegiate Prep 56-50 in a North Central League II varsity boys basketball game on Tuesday night in Santa Rosa.
Upper Lake routed the same team 70-32 back on Jan. 13 in Upper Lake.
“We came out flat,” Upper Lake coach Justin Dutcher said. “We beat them easy the first time. We were lucky to get out of there with a win.”
Upper Lake (7-4 league, 12-11 overall) took a 43-37 lead into the fourth quarter. The Cougars pushed their lead to as many as 13 points before Roseland Collegiate Prep rallied late in the game.
Isaiah Garcia led the Cougars with 16 points, Kenny Hodges added 12 and Pancho Flores and Sal Sanchez finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Sanchez and Colton Goetjen each had 10 rebounds.
Upper Lake dropped a 49-46 league decision to St. Vincent on Friday in Petaluma. Hodges and Flores led the Cougars with 10 points apiece, Garcia added nine and Sanchez had eight.
Next up for Upper Lake is league road game Friday against Sonoma Academy in Santa Rosa.
