UPPER LAKE — In a game that featured plenty of back-and-forth talk between the opposing players, technical fouls and a bit of mascot mischief, the Calistoga Wildcats held off the Upper Lake Cougars for a 48-41 victory in North Central League II varsity boys basketball action at Upper Lake.
Upper Lake (1-4 league, 5-11 overall) battled Calistoga the entire way. It was 23-all at halftime and 36-33 Calistoga going to the fourth quarter.
“We had to foul them there at the end and they hit some free throws,” Upper Lake head coach Miles Hayes said. “The game was closer than the score indicates.”
Tempers flared at times during the game.
“It was a little chippy,” said Hayes, who picked up a technical foul in the third quarter.
“I was just fighting for my kids,” Hayes said. “The kids played their hearts out.”
Calistoga also wasn’t happy with the Upper Lake mascot based on an alleged incident prior to the game.
Darian Loans Arrow led the Cougars on the floor with 17 points, including three 3-pointers, and 11 rebounds.
“He played great,” Hayes said.
Nick Barnes added nine points and five assists.
“Best game I’ve seen him play,” Hayes said. “He played a complete game.”
In the junior varsity game, playing time was no problem for the eight players Upper Lake head coach Thomas Santana suited up against the Calistoga Wildcats in a 57-28 victory.
“Everybody got a lot of playing time,” Santana said. “We were rotating players in all game.”
Four Cougars scored in double figures led by Delaney Allison’s 16 points. Landon Robinson added 15, Beaux Stiritz had 14 and Jerod Rosales 12 as Upper Lake improved to 5-0 in league and 8-7 overall. Allison also led the team with 10 rebounds to complete his double-double.
“They couldn’t stop the starters,” Santana said of the Wildcats, who trailed 32-17 at halftime.
Upper Lake put the game away with an 18-point third quarter.
“We always come out hot after halftime, I don’t know why that is,” Santana said.
Upper Lake returns to action Monday against Sonoma Academy in Santa Rosa, part of a four-game set between the two schools. JV girls action begins at 3:30 p.m. and the JV boys follow at 5 p.m. The Cougars return home next Friday to play Sonoma Academy in another four-game set.
