ROHNERT PARK — Strength in numbers carried the Golden State Warriors to a NBA championship last year and the Upper Lake High School varsity girls basketball team is certainly making the most of its depth this season as it navigates its way toward a third straight North Central League II championshp.
Two nights after their road game with Sonoma Academy was postponed by a major storm blowing through the Redwood Empire, the Cougars overwhelmed the Credo Gryphon 61-18 to improve to 3-0 in league play and 13-1 overall.
“We used a balanced attack,” Upper Lake co-head coach Annie Pivniska-Petrie said of the Cougars’ most recent win against a Credo squad that played aggressively against the two-time defending league champs, but it wasn’t nearly enough.
Upper Lake led 15-6 after one quarter and 32-12 by halftime. Starters and reserves alike once again contributed in the win. Heaven’Lee Loans Arrow led the way with 17 points, Kat Lopez-Geary and Taylar Minnis finished with 10 points apiece and Madison Noble had eight.
“Loans Arrow shoed some leadership across the board,” Pivniska-Petrie said. “Kat was pretty hungry tonight. “She did a good job offensively and defensively.”
Pivniska-Petrie was especially pleased with the play of her guards, starters and reserves alike.
“My guards were shooting the ball a little more tonight and that’s something we need. I was proud of all of them.”
The play of point guard Lupe Duncan-Monlo drew special prasie from the Upper Lake coach.
“She maintained her composure and ran the offense and defense,” Pivniska-Petrie said. “She showed leadership tonight.”
Added Pivniska-Petrie, “Everyone was passing the ball and playing as a team.”
Upper Lake hits the road Tuesday to play Tomales. The varsity girls tip off at 6:30 p.m. followed by the varsity boys at 8 p.m. There are no junior varsity games.
