The San Lorenzo Valley varsity boys basketball team is 2-2 in league play after beating Aptos High, 52-48, and falling to Harbor High, 50-40, last week.
In the win over Aptos on Jan. 14, junior Blake Bechtel led the team with 15 points while nailing four 3-pointers. The Cougars had no other player reach double figures, but Luke Roberts and Robert Mullins scored nine apiece to pace the Cougars.
SLV was behind at halftime but led in the third and fourth quarters to carry away the victory.
Against Harbor High, Bechtel scored 24 points and hit five 3s, while Harbor’s leading scorer Colin Gruber finished with 18 points, and Harbor outlasted the Cougars.
San Lorenzo Valley faced Soquel after press time Thursday, Jan. 21, and will play at St. Francis at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22. They will start the second round of league play at Scotts Valley at 7 p.m. Jan. 29.
Girls varsity
After a rough opening stretch that saw the San Lorenzo Valley varsity girls basketball team lose its first three Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League games, the Cougars have bounced back with two consecutive wins.
SLV defeated league opponent Harbor High 45-36 on Jan. 16 behind 19 points and 17 rebounds from Sierra Clark and 10 steals by Brooke Carroll.
Then, Monday, Jan. 18, the Cougars defeated Mercy from Burlingame 56-39 on 30 points and 22 rebounds from Clark. Carroll had nine points and 15 rebounds in the win.
Scotts Valley
Girls
The Scotts Valley girls are 2-3 in league play after falling to league-leading Santa Cruz High 43-34 on Wednesday, Jan. 20.
In defeat, forward Liz Munger led the team with 11 points. Kelsey LaPorte and Katrina Silver gathered 11 rebounds, but the Falcons could not stop Santa Cruz’s top player, Gianna Tinetti, who had 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Following a Thursday game against Harbor that ended after press time, the Falcons will play at Aptos at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 27.
Boys
The Scotts Valley boys basketball team began the week 0-5 in league play, despite a close call in a 61-60 loss to Soquel on Jan. 13.
The Falcons played after press time Thursday, Jan. 21, at Harbor High, and they will next play at 7 p.m. Jan. 27 in Aptos.
