COLUSA — Mike Taliaferro’s three-point play with eight seconds remaining snapped a 50-all tie and lifted Lower Lake High School to a 53-50 victory over Williams in the opening round of the Colusa Tournament on Thursday evening at Colusa High School, the Trojans’ sixth straight win.
Lower Lake (7-3) shoots for a seventh consecutive victory Friday night against either Corning or Colusa in the tournament semifinals. The winner advances to Saturday’s championship game.
“They played a totally opposite style from us,” Lower Lake head coach Tim Biasotti said of the Yellowjackets, who fell to 9-3 on the season. “I don’t think we ever adjusted, but we were able to pull it out.”
While the Trojans prefer to play at a more up-tempo pass, not so the Yellowjackets, who concentrate on getting the ball to 6-foot-4, 290-pound senior center Anthony Davalos no matter where he is on the court.
“They run a deliberate offense and they run it through him,” Biasotti said of the Yellowjackets and Davalos, who led all scorers with 30 points.
In fact, it was Davalos who missed a long 3-pointer in the final seconds as the Yellowjackets attempted to force the game into overtime.
“He shot it about 5-7 feet behind the line,” Biasotti said. “He hit the rim, it was close.”
Lower Lake took a 38-31 lead into the fourth quarter but Williams surged ahead early in the period.
“We trailed almost the entire fourth quarter,” Biasotti said.
As the the Trojans rallied back, Donald Vaughn came up with two huge steals and layups down the stretch.
“Our defense was picking it up,” Biasotti said.
Three Trojans reached double digits in the scoring column with Taliaferro leading the way with 14 points followed by Vann Wilkins with 12 and Vaughn with 11. Izzac Carver added another seven more. Wilkins hit all four of his free throws in the fourth quarter.
In other boys action Thursday:
Stokes Tournament
Ukiah 65, Kelseyville 42
At Kelseyville, Ukiah High School junior forward Quincy Hayes was more than the Kelseyville Knights could handle as they fell to the Wildcats in a first-round boys game at the 48th annual Stokes Invitational.
The Knights (0-5) play two games Friday — at 10:30 a.m. against Foresthill and at 3:30 p.m. against Ygnacio Valley.
“He was a difference maker,” Kelseyville head coach Gus Schillinger said of Hayes, who led all scorers with 24 points. “He’s a bull down low, really aggressive. We didn’t have an answer for him.”
Kelseyville stayed close for the better part of the first half, but a 7-2 Ukiah run late in the second quarter gave the Wildcats a 29-21 halftime lead.
Ukiah pulled away with a 18-9 third quarter and never looked back.
Josh Hodson’s nine points led the Knights, Bodhi Baird added seven and Robert Chavez and Adrian Villalobos had six apiece.
The tournament continues through Saturday at the Kelseyville High School gym.
Middletown 76, Calistoga 25
At Kelseyville, Middletown scored 32 points in the first quarter, more than enough to beat a depleted Calistoga squad in the opening round of the Stokes Invitational.
The Wildcats suited up just five players while the Mustangs (4-3) were at full strength for the first time this season.
Brothers Sammy and Andreas Cervantes led Middletown with 16 points apiece while Jimmy Rockwell finished with 13 and Noah Brown 10. Issac Garcia’s 14 points led the Wildcats, who trailed 32-6 after one quarter and 51-15 by halftime.
Twelve different Mustangs scored in the game.
Elsie Allen 57, Ygnacio Valley 50
At Kelseyville, Isiah Garza led Elsie Allen of Santa Rosa with 15 points and Vincent Martinez added 12 in a Stokes first-round victory over Ygnacio Valley of Concord.
Elias Davis’ 19 points paced Ygnacio Valley.
Piedmont 95, Foresthill 47
At Kelseyville, Luke Barrett went off for 27 points and Luke Harris added 17 as the Piedmont Highlanders routed the Foresthill Wildfires in first-round Stokes action.
David Kiseau joined teammates Barrett and Harris in double figures with 13 points. Hunter Williams had a team-best 13 points for Foresthill and Jaycie Zapata added 11.
