LAKE COUNTY >> Alma Perez and Aleia Milano were the go-to players and go-to scorers for their respective teams during the 2016-17 girls basketball season, and yet their individual achievements on the hardwood took nothing away from team success.
Perez, a senior for the Kelseyville Knights, and Milano, a junior for the Lower Lake Trojans, are the co-most valuable players on the 2017 edition of the All-Lake County team as selected by the Lake County Record-Bee.
Perez, who played her final three years at the varsity level for the Knights, averaged better than 18 points a game and was by far Kelseyville’s most consistent scorer during a long 31-game season that saw the Knights tie Milano’s Trojans for the North Central League I championship, win the postseason league tournament, reach the quarterfinal round of the North Coast Section Division IV playoffs, and earn an at-large berth into the Northern California playoffs.
One of three Lake County players to score her 1,000th career point during the 2016-17 season — Milano and Lower Lake’s Hokulani Wickard also accomplished that feat — Perez went on to finish with 1,196 points, good for 19th place on the all-time county list of scoring leaders.
Not to be outdone, Milano, who still has a full year remaining to add to her season-ending total of 1,145 points (25th on the all-time career list), averaged better than 20 points a game for the Trojans as they overcame the loss of a key member of their starting lineup to earn a share of the league title.
The Trojans (19-9) lost in the first round of the NCS Division IV playoffs but put up a solid fight while falling 76-65 to perennial playoff powerhouse Marin Catholic of Kentfield.
First team
Joining Perez and Milano on the All-League first team are Upper Lake senior Natalie Karlsson, Kelseyville sophomore Payton Conrad, Lower Lake junior Vanessa Hughes and Clear Lake junior Kiana Richardson.
Karlsson finishes her four-year career at Upper Lake with 1,846 points, the second-highest total in Lake County history (only Laura Wilder, who played at Upper Lake from 1990-94, had more with 1,897). She is also only the second county player to score more than 700 points (737) in a single season. Her 26-point-plus scoring average easily led the county, both girls and boys, during the 2016-17 season.
In the NCS Division V playoffs that followed Upper Lake’s 7-5 finish in the NCL II race, Upper Lake became the first No. 16 seed in sectional playoff history to beat a No. 1 seed. The Cougars, behind 31 points from Karlsson, stunned Convent of the Sacred Heart of San Francisco 58-56 in a first-round game. That also was the final victory for Karlsson and the Cougars (16-13), who lost their final two games — to Clear Lake in the sectional quarterfinals and to Argonaut in the opening round of the NorCals as Upper Lake received a last-second at-large berth.
Karlsson left it all on the court in a 74-44 loss to Argonaut, scoring 26 points.
Conrad, the only sophomore on the All-County team this year, proved to be a very capable ballhandler and ball distributor for the Knights as well as a legitimate scoring threat. Only Perez averaged more points a game on the Kelseyville squad.
Following two solid seasons at the junior varsity level, Hughes made a smooth transition to the varsity for the Trojans and averaged 11 points, five rebounds and two and a half assists per game.
Richardson, a rebounding machine, helped keep Clear Lake in the thick of a three-team race for the NCL I title right down to the final day of the regular season. The Cardinals finished just one game out of first at 11-3 and were 20-11 overall. They advanced farther into the sectional playoffs than any other county team, making it to the semifinals in Division V. Like Kelseyville and Upper Lake, the Cardinals also earned an at-large berth into the NorCal playoffs.
Second team
The five players on the All-County second team include Middletown seniors Makenzi Smith and Abby Aden as well as Kelseyville senior Haleigh Meyer, Clear Lake junior Camille Donald and Upper Lake junior Brenna Sanchez.
Smith and Aden played their final season with the Mustangs during something of a rebuilding year but both were key components in Middletown’s drive to back-to-back league championships in 2015 (undisputed) and 2016 (co-champions).
Meyer, Donald and Sanchez all provided key minutes for their respective teams during a successful 2016-17 campaign and were significant contributors to their teams’ many accomplishments.
Coach of the Year
While their were many worthy candidates for Coach of the Year honors this season, the nod goes to Kelseyville’s Jim Hale, who guided the Knights to a NCL I co-championship for a second year in a row, a postseason tournament crown, and a second straight trip to the quarterfinals in the ultra-difficult NCS Division IV playoffs. Kelseyville’s 26 victories also figured into the decision. The five teams that beat the Knights had a combined record of 115-42 (.732) and won between 19-29 games during the season.
