The Scotts Valley High varsity girls basketball team’s full-court pressure proved too much for rival San Lorenzo Valley High as the Falcons defeated the home team Cougars, 48-24, in the teams’ first matchup of the season.
The Jan. 7 win evened the Falcons’ record at 1-1 in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League, while dropping the Cougars to 0-1.
The Falcons, who led 18-11 at halftime, stepped up the pressure in the third quarter with a handful of steals from Liz Munger, Kelsey LaPorte and Sonja Gustaffson that turned into layups or short jump shots.
LaPorte led all scorers with 16 points, and Munger notched a double-double with 15 points and 17 rebounds.
The Cougars were unable to respond to the second-half pressure.
Sierra Clark, the Cougars’ leading scorer, who averages more than 14 points per game, was held to six points, but still managed to corral 18 rebounds. Brooke Carroll led the Cougars with eight points.
Scotts Valley went on to beat Soquel High, 56-40, on Wednesday, Jan. 13. They will play St. Francis on Friday, Jan. 15.
San Lorenzo Valley faced Aptos after press time Thursday, Jan. 14.
Cougars boys blow out Falcons
A balanced scoring attack led by Blake Bechtel’s 18 points helped the San Lorenzo Valley boys basketball team to a 77-54 thumping of visiting Scotts Valley on Jan. 7.
The Cougars had eight different players score in the first quarter, and 11 Cougars put in at least one basket during the game.
Crowd favorite Brandon Dubreuil was the only Cougar not to put in a basket, despite several close calls.
After a tightly contested first quarter that saw the Cougars take an 18-15 lead despite the Falcons sinking eight of 10 free throws, the crowd and the Cougars’ pressure seemed to rattle the Falcons.
With Bechtel heating up with 11 points in the second quarter, the Cougars took a 39-22 lead into halftime.
Throughout the contest, SLV’s forwards — Robert Mullins, Luke Roberts and Jared Payne — dominated the glass and clogged the lane, forcing the Falcons into long shots.
Scotts Valley’s Aldin Barrett led the Falcons with 18 points on a series of speedy drives to the basket while going 12-of-17 from the charity stripe.
The Cougars were 1-1 in league play after falling to Santa Cruz, 75-51, on Tuesday, Jan. 12, and they played Aptos on Thursday, Jan. 14, after press time. Their next contest is Saturday, Jan. 16, at Harbor High at 7 p.m.
Scotts Valley is 0-2 in league after narrowly losing to Soquel High, 61-60, on Wednesday, Jan. 13. They will play next at St. Francis High on Friday, Jan. 15.
