Watkins scores 20 points in 59-51 non-league setback to Loggers
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EUREKA >> The Kelseyville Knights are playing well enough to be competitive with the likes of the two Division 3 teams they faced in back-to-back road game Friday and Saturday, but they’re just not doing quite enough to pull out the win, according to Kelseyville head coach Oscar Lopez.
That was Lopez’s assessment after watching the Knights fall 59-51 to Eureka (9-1) on Saturday afternoon in Eureka.
“We’re showing we’re competitive (with these teams), but we’re killing ourselves with our own mistakes,” Lopez said. “We’re not rebounding well and we’re not paying attention to where the other team’s shooter is.”
Kelseyville (6-7) lost its third straight to a Humboldt-Del Norte League opponent since reaching the finals of its own tourney, the Stokes Tournament on Dec. 21. The Knights lost to St. Bernard’s of Eureka 61-52 in the Stokes finals and 62-54 to Del Norte on Friday in Crescent City before falling to Eureka on Saturday. Those three teams are a combined 27-5.
They’ll return to action Jan. 3 at home against yet another HDNL team, Fortuna (6-9).
“Hopefully we can get out of this funk we’re in,” Lopez said.
While the Knights may be collectively in a “funk” that Lopez alluded to, senior Kyle Watkins certainly has played well during that three-game losing streak, scoring a combined 53 points, including 20 on Saturday against Eureka. He was the only Knight in double digits against the Loggers as Tyler Bryant and Ryder Leary finished with seven points apiece.
Kelseyville’s problems were more on the defensive end, according to Lopez.
“We fell asleep and gave up open 3-balls,” Lopez said.
Eureka outscored Kelseyville in each of the first three quarters to build a 45-34 lead. The Knights closed to within three points for a brief moment before the Loggers hit a wide-open 3-pointer, according to Lopez.
“We had some mental lapses defensively throughout the game,” he said.
Lopez said he’s hoping the Knights can gain back some momentum against Fortuna because they return to North Central League I action Jan. 7 at home against St. Helena, the team Kelseyville tied for the league title last season. St. Helena and Middletown are tied at 2-0 in the early NCL I standings with Kelseyville at 1-1.
In junior varsity action Saturday, Kelseyville beat Eureka 53-49 behind 15 points from Jacob Amendola, 10 from Jair Carrillo and six from Joey Watson.