LIVE OAK — Sophomore Van Wilkins tried out for the Lower Lake High School junior varsity boys basketball team a little more than a month ago. He didn’t make it.
“He was trying out for the JVs, but he looked really good. There was a lot of talent there, so I brought him up, I thought he could help us,” Lower Lake varsity head coach Tim Biasotti said.
It proved to be the right call.
On Friday night against Oroville in the championship game of the Live Oak Tournament, Wilkins scored 25 points to lead the Trojans to a 62-58 victory and the tournament title. Three of those 25 points completely changed momentum in Lower Lake’s favor and paved the way to victory, according to Biasotti.
“We were down by 10 in the third quarter when he got a steal, scored and got hammered on the play,” Biasotti said. “He hit the free throw. It was a huge momentum swing and it started right there.”
Lower Lake cut Oroville’s lead to 46-44 by quarter’s end and went on to win the game with an 18-12 fourth period.
“I’ve told you this before, but my guys don’t quit on me and that’s what got us through this,” Biasotti said. “On paper, that team (Oroville) was supposed to beat us. My guys just wanted it more. They did all the little things and they deserve this.”
Another sophomore in Lower Lake’s starting lineup, Donald Vaughn, not only ran the offense well but finished with 10 points, part of a balanced scoring attack that also included 10 points from Mike Taliaferro and nine more from Darian James.
“It’s not typical for a sophomore to come up to the varsity and run the point so well,” Biasotti said of Vaughn.
Unselfishness is one of the biggest reasons why the Trojans are now 4-3 on the season and with a tournament championship under their belts.
“Nobody on this team is worried about who is going to be the high scorer of the night,” Biasotti said. “They pass the ball to whoever is open.”
Two of Lower Lake’s three losses to date have come to teams (Fortuna and McKinleyville) likely headed for the playoffs later this season.
“I’m not hanging my head about that,” Biasotti said.
Lower Lake travels to Upper Lake (8-1) on Monday for a non-league game.
In other boys tournament action Friday:
Albany 85, Clear Lake 43
At Woodland, in a battle of 5-0 teams, the Albany Cougars dominated the Clear Lake Cardinals in the winner’s semifinal round of the Woodland Tournament.
Clear Lake (5-1) will play either Woodland or Oakmont in the third-place game Saturday at 2 p.m.
“Whoever we play I think we match up well against,” said Clear Lake head coach Scott De Leon, who said the Cardinals, a Division V school, simply lost to a better team in Albany (6-0), a Division III school.
“This is nothing to hang our heads on,” De Leon said. “That’s why we came to this tournament. We wanted to play schools much bigger than us.”
De Leon said the weaknesses Albany exposed in Clear Lake’s defense were a good lesson for the Cardinals and will be addressed as the team moves forward.
“Every guy on their team scored,” De Leon said. “They had four guys score in double figures.”
The Cougars outscored the Cardinals 25-10 in the second quarter to open up a 40-16 halftime lead.
“They are an extremely talented basketball team,” De Leon said. “They box out well, they played solid defense and they shot lights out in that first half.”
Rodrigo Lupercio’s 14 points paced the Cardinals, Tj Marcks added eight and Darius Ford had seven.
In the junior varsity division, Roseville beat Clear Lake 83-66. Evan Coakley’s 25 points powered the Cardinals while Treppa Marcks added 12 and Donovan Valadez 10.
Clear Lake plays Woodland in the third-place game Saturday at noon.
Upper Lake 74, Potter Valley 29
At Potter Valley, Ray Moran, Dylan Armstrong and Hank Nevarez hit back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers on Upper Lake’s first three possession of the game, a sign of things to come, and the Cougars routed the Potter Valley Bearcats in the winner’s semifinal round of the Potter Valley Tournament.
Upper Lake (8-1) will face either Mendocino or Archbishop Hanna on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the championship game.
“It was a nice, complete game,” Upper Lake head coach Justin Dutcher said. “We shot the ball well, we played good defense, we rebounded. I wish that would happen all the time.”
Dutcher subbed freely after the Cougars outscored the Bearcats 22-10 in the first quarter.
“Everyone played plenty of minutes, everyone scored,” Dutcher said. “My bench guys went out there and more than held their own. We scored 30 points in the second quarter and I think my bench guys played most of that.”
Nine different Cougars scored and seven of them made 3-pointers. Kenny Hodges led the way with 21 points, Nevarez finished with 13 and Benat Love had 11.
Healdsburg 63, Kelseyville 26
At Healdsburg, center Trey Chapman scored 16 of his team-leading 32 points in the first quarter as the Healdsburg Greyhounds knocked off the Kelseyville Knights in a second-round game at the Redwood Empire Invitational Basketball Tournament.
“Healdsburg’s size is just very impressive,” Kelseyville head coach Gus Schillinger said. “They have five guys taller than our tallest guy, Josh Hodson (6-foot-3). We were a little intimidated.”
The Greyhounds overpowered the Knights down low throughout the game.
“I’ve never seen that many dunks in a high school game,” Schillinger said. “They didn’t have to shoot it from the outside.”
Led by Chapman, Healdsburg built a 21-2 lead in the first quarter. The Knights (0-2) played a strong second quarter for the second night in a row, but the Greyhounds dominated the second half.
“We really competed well in the second quarter,” Schillinger said. “But out offensive woes continued in the third quarter.”
Playing Middletown and Healdsburg in their first two games of the tournament — and of the season — has been a tough assignment for the Knights and their new coach, but Schillinger said there are encouraging signs as his team prepares to take on El Molino on Saturday in a final-round game at 1 p.m.
“I felt like we played together better tonight than we did in our first game. I thought overall team morale was better,” Schillinger said. “We just need to find some more offense.”
Tyler Linnell and Bodhi Baird led the Knights with eight points apiece.
After playing El Molino on Saturday, the Knights return home Tuesday for a non-league game, also against El Molino.
