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Both the Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley high school basketball teams found a single victory at the 56th Annual Emmett Thompson Dads Club Basketball Tournament last week.
Both teams defeated the Harbor Pirates but finished the three-day tournament held at the Civic Auditorium in Santa Cruz with 1-2 records. Games were played Dec. 8 – 10.
Scotts Valley
The Falcons started off the tournament Dec. 8 against the eventual champion Soquel Knights in a game they hoped to rebound from. The Knights screamed ahead in the early going and crushed the Falcons 61- 25.
Under the tutelage of new Head Coach Charles Burks, the Falcons regrouped and bested the Pirates in their second game, topping Harbor 56-45. Senior Jack Pasquini led the Falcons with 22 points in the win.
“The kids played very hard and ended up doing very well all, things considered,” Coach Burks said. “They are still getting to know each other and taking this one game at a time.”
In the semi-finals, Scotts Valley fell again to a powerful Pioneer team that leapt out to an early lead and held it throughout the game, winning 50-34.
Scotts Valley is 3-4 in preseason play and next faces Salinas High in the Condor Christmas Classic on Dec. 28.
San Lorenzo Valley
The Cougars found their scoring rhythm early in the tournament but couldn’t stop other offenses until the final game.
The Cougars opened tournament play against 2010 champion Salinas High and despite double digit scoring from sophomore Billy Mullins and senior Eric Lange at ten a piece, fell to the Cowboys 69-51.
Game two, Dec. 9, found the Cougars again in the loss column after falling to the tournaments No. 3 finisher Pioneer 55-44.
In the final game for seventh place, the frustration boiled over and SLV stomped the Harbor Pirates 76-50 led by Mullins 27 points. The Cougars jumped out to a 24-13 first quarter lead and by the end of the first half they were up 46-24.
“It was one of those games where everything just came together,” Cougar coach Marcus Northcutt said. “Billy’s shot came on and our defense was on point. Everything just clicked.”
SLV (2-3) will next play against Pacific Grove on Friday, Dec.16 at Pacific Grove High School.
