UPPER LAKE — Double-doubles by freshmen Heaven’Lee Loans Arrow and Madison Noble combined with another strong effort from freshman point guard Maddy Young propelled the Upper Lake Cougars to a share of the North Central League II title on Friday as they blasted the Roseland University Prep Knights 71-30 in varsity girls basketball action at Upper Lake.
Upper Lake (6-0 league, 19-3 overall) needs to win one of its final two league games — Tuesday at Sonoma Academy or Thursday at Credo — to wrap up the undisputed championship.
“Our last one (league title) was in 2004, so it’s been a long, long time,” Upper Lake head coach Mike Smith said as the Cougars won their eighth in a row. “The one in 2004 was a co-championship and we want it outright. We want to go get it. That’s our goal.”
Upper Lake is also one victory shy of its first 20-win season since 2014-15 (22-5).
“We had lots of good emotion tonight,” Smith said of the Cougars’ final regular-season home game as they honored the team’s lone senior, Alana Sanchez, who was one of four Upper Lake players to score in double digits.
Zoey Petrie led the way with 18 points followed by Loans Arrow with 13 points and 14 rebounds, Sanchez with 12 points, and Noble with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
“She was huge on the back side tonight,” Smith said of Noble. “It’s nice knowing we have her for the next 3 ½ years.”
The Cougars put the Knights away early, jumping on them in the first quarter for a 18-3 lead. Young set the tone, according to Smith.
“Young continues to grow with her ability to run the show on that court,” Smith said. “Her voice on the floor through the coaches is what we need to take the next step.”
Young dished out 11 assists and also had six steals — both team highs — to go along with four points.
Upper Lake led 31-11 at halftime and 54-22 through three quarters. The Cougars ended up with eight 3-pointers.
Upper Lake was minus starting guard Karlee Zimmerschied on Friday because of her participation in a soccer camp. Smith said she’ll be back in uniform Tuesday to face Sonoma Academy.
Junior varsity
Upper Lake won the junior varsity game 51-27. Taylar Minnis led the Cougars (5-0, 17-4) with 20 points and Tristin Rhodes chipped in 12 more.
The Cougars started slow but came on strong in the second half, according to coach Angelina Arroyo.
“After half they got it together and came out and played solid defense and kept RUP scoreless in the third quarter,” Arroyo said. “They forced a lot of turnovers, which we turned into points.”
Ahead 19-18 at halftime, Upper Lake outscored RUP 18-0 in the third quarter to break the game wide open.
“We came out with a press in the third quarter and RUP couldn’t break it,” Arroyo said.
The JV Cougars return to action Monday when they travel to Santa Rosa to play Victory Christian Academy in a non-league game at 4 p.m.
