ARCATA >> The Arcata Tigers parlayed a 31-10 second quarter into a 81-63 victory over the Lower Lake Trojans on Friday night in the winner’s semifinal round of the Arcata Tournament.
Lower Lake (2-1) meets St. Bernard’s of Eureka in the third-place game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Not even 31 points from senior guard Aleia Milano, who has scored 94 points in her first three games of the season, could save the Trojans against an Arcata team that ratcheted up the defensive pressure in the pivotal second quarter.
“As long as I’ve been coaching that’s the best team we have played,” Lower Lake coach Dave Milano said. “We got into a pattern of making bad decisions with the ball even though we had a lot of opportunities,” Milano said. “And then we lost our poise.”
Arcata took a 46-22 lead into halftime. Lower Lake did a better job of handling the Tigers’ pressure defense the rest of the way while also outscoring its opponent 41-35 in the second half.
“They (Tigers) did a really good job of preparing us for anyone else we face this season who plays that way,” Milano said.
Samantha Caires played well at both ends of the court for the Trojans. She not only finished with 16 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, but she had five assists and five steals.
“She did a good job for us offensively and defensively,” Milano said.
Elizabeth Ingalls had six points and eight rebounds for the Trojans while Vanessa Hughes added four points, five assists and seven steals.
In other girls basketball action Friday:
K’ville 54, Willows 49
At Gridley, Payton Conrad scored 25 points and Gracie Davidson added 12 points and 10 rebounds as the Knights beat the Willows Honkers in the winner’s semifinal round of the Gridley Tournament.
Kelseyville will play either Chico or Bethel for the tournament championship on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
The Knights (2-0) were never in any serious trouble down the stretch and had a 12-point lead with three minutes remaining.
“Our pressure defense forced them into some mistakes and was the turning point for us,” Kelseyville coach Jim Hale said. “I think it wore them down.”
Kelseyville led 28-25 at halftime and 45-36 going to the fourth quarter.
Besides a second straight 20-point night from the junior guard Conrad, the Knights had success working the ball inside to Davidson, who proved to be a force at both ends of the floor.
“She was cleaning up a lot on the boards,” Hale said. “Three of her 10 rebounds were offensive.”
Allison Bryant added eight points to the Knights’ cause and Bib Hamner had four points and seven rebounds.
Clear Lake 45, Durham 33
At Colusa, Clear Lake advanced to the championship game of the Colusa Tournament by defeating the same team that beat them in last year’s winner’s semifinal round, the Durham Trojans.
Clear Lake (2-0) took a 26-22 lead into the fourth quarter and simply wore out Durham, according to Clear Lake coach Kory Reynolds.
“We outlasted them,” he said. “We started running and they just couldn’t keep up.”
The first three quarters proved to be a physical battle, according to Reynolds.
Kortnie Reynolds led the way for Clear Lake with 17 points, including three of the team’s six 3-point field goals. Valerie Hutton added 12 points and Corin Alakszay had 10. Hutton’s defense also helped shut down Durham’s top scorer. “She had 21 against us last year (in a 43-30 Durham victory) but only 11 this time,” Reynolds said. “Hutton did a really nice job against her.”
Hutton also had three assists and three steals. Kiana Richardson fouled out in the fourth quarter with a team-high 10 rebounds.
Clear Lake draws either Wheatland or Colusa in the championship game on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Upper Lake 29, Potter Valley 26
At Upper Lake, center Brenna Sanchez scored 11 points and came close to a triple-double as the Upper Lake Cougars held off the Potter Valley Bearcats in a second-round game at the Cougar Round Robin. Upper Lake, 2-0 in tournament action and 3-0 on the season, will play Ferndale, also 2-0 in the tourney, for the championship on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Sanchez also had 11 rebounds and eight blocks.
“She was pretty dominant on defense,” Upper Lake coach Mike Smith said.
The two teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 19.
“It was a good test for us,” Smith said of his young squad.
Cheyanne Obedoza scored all five of her points in the second half to give the Cougars a lift when they most needed it, according to Smith.
“She played well,” Smith said. “She was physical and tough in there.”
Upper Lake is making a point of getting the ball inside to Sanchez this season as she is one of the few veteran holdovers from last year’s playoff club.
“We were forcing it in to Brenna,” Smith said. “We were not getting the ball to her through our offense but trying to force feed it inside to her and Potter Valley did a pretty good job defending it.”
Alana Sanchez had four points for the Cougars.
