WILLITS >> Aleia Milano became only the fifth basketball player in Lake County history to reach 1,500 career points as the Lower Lake Trojans worked over the Willits Wolverines 62-24 in North Central League I varsity girls action on Friday night in Willits.
Milano needed 22 points entering play to hit 1,500 and she ended up with 28. Her 1,500th point came on a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter, one of her six 3-pointers on the night as the Trojans improved to 2-0 in the NCL I standings and 11-2 overall. They face a key matchup Tuesday night when they host Clear Lake (2-0, 11-2).
While the final score wasn’t close, the Trojans struggled early on, according to head coach Dave Milano.
“They came out with a lot more energy than we did and we couldn’t match it,” Milano said.
The Trojans began to settle down late in the opening period. Lower Lake dominated from that point on and outscored Willits 21-3 in the second quarter to open up a 30-11 halftime lead.
Vanessa Hughes picked up another double-double for the Trojans with 13 points and 20 rebounds. She also had four steals. Samantha Caires added 10 points while Elizabeth Ingalls added 13 rebounds and four points.
In other girls action Friday:
Clear Lake 52, Fort Bragg 23
At Lakeport, Italian foreign exchange student Emma Invento scored four points in the second half, her first points of the season, as the Clear Lake Cardinals knocked off the Fort Bragg Timberwolves in NCL I play.
“That was the highlight of the night,” Clear Lake coach Kory Reynolds said of the two baskets Invento sank in the fourth quarter. “The girls all went crazy. They were really happy for her.”
Invento is playing basketball for the first time, according to Reynolds.
“She’s never played basketball in her life but she has no bad habits and is easy to teach,” Reynolds said. “If you show her something, she just does it.”
Clear Lake improved to 2-0 in league and 11-2 overall with its lopsided win, which sets up a showdown next Tuesday in Lower Lake when the Cardinals visit the Trojans (2-0, 11-2).
Valerie Hutton scored 11 of her team-leading 16 points in the first quarter, including three of her four 3-pointers on the night, as Clear Lake opened up a 18-8 lead. The Cardinals had another 18-point quarter in the third and almost all of those points came from two players – Corin Alakszay with eight and Kortnie Reynolds with six. Alakszay and Reynolds joined Hutton in double figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Cloverdale 39, Kelseyville 34
At Cloverdale, in a game dominated by defense, the Cloverdale Eagles improved to 2-0 in the league standings with a victory over the Kelseyville Knights (0-2, 9-5).
“It was a very defensive-minded game,” Kelseyville coach Jim Hale said. “Their press is really good. We struggled to get into our offense.”
The game was close throughout. Kelseyville held an 18-15 advantage at halftime but Cloverdale took a 28-25 lead into the fourth quarter.
Cloverdale outscored Kelseyville just 10-9 at the free-throw line despite getting to the stripe for 32 shots compared to 18 for the Knights.
Payton Conrad’s 18 points led the Knights. Allison Bryant and Grace Davidson each had six. Cloverdale’s top scorers were Camryn Figueroa with 16 and Tehya Bird with 13.
Middletown 36, St. Helena 11
At St. Helena, Middletown beat St. Helena to even its NCL I record at 1-1. Game details were not reported to the Record-Bee
The Mustangs also won the JV game as Olivia Kucer scored 16 points in a 39-22 Middletown victory.
Middletown, now 2-0 in league play, lost starter Brianna Alves to a twisted ankle early in the game and overcame a two-point third quarter to beat the Saints.
