Kelseyville varsity boys drop 67-44 decision to Terra Nova of Pacifica
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PACIFICA >> The Knights played better in the second half than the first, but it was still a tough season opener for the Kelseyville High School varsity boys basketball team, a 67-44 loser on Monday night against Terra Nova High School in Pacifica.
“We were just sloppy, not ready to play,” Kelseyville head coach Oscar Lopez said of his team’s first effort of the 2024-25 season. “That’s on me.”
Offense and defense struggled alike, according to Lopez.
“Too many turnovers,” he said. “And our defense wasn’t up to it, lots of miscommunication. Our offense hasn’t found its rhythm yet. We were forcing things.”
Kelseyville found itself in a 29-15 hole by halftime. While the Knights’ offense began to pick it up in the second half, the defense allowed another 38 points.
Slow starts aren’t that unusual for the Knights, who opened 1-3 last season, 2-4 in 2022-23 and 0-3 in 2021-22. Kelseyville (0-1) tends to schedule up in the preseason while preparing for the North Central League I race. The Knights shared the league title with St. Helena last season and came in second in 2022-23.
Kelseyville returns a senior-dominated roster from a 20-10 team last season (11 of the team’s 12 players are seniors).
“We’ve been the team with the chip on our shoulder the last couple of seasons,” Lopez said. “Now it’s a matter if we can be mentally hungry enough not that most of them are seniors. We’re the team everyone is gunning for now. How well can we play with a target on our backs?”
Brock Barrick’s 14 points, including four 3-pointers, led the Knights. Ryder Leary added 11 points, three-year varsity veteran Kyle Watkins added nine and Gene Holdenried had five.
Terra Nova (1-0) competes in the Central Coast Section.
Kelseyville returns to action next Monday in McKinleyville, part of a four-game set between the two schools. The junior varsity girls game tips off at 3:30 p.m.
Terra Nova beat Kelseyville in the JV boys game (score not reported).
