Lakeport middle school teams claim A, B boys championships
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KELSEYVILLE >> Andre McCloud scored 20 points while Isaiah McCloud added 17, including two clutch free throws with 43.2 seconds left, to help lift the Terrace School Vikings to a 50-47 upset of the Upper Lake Wildcats in the A-level championship game during the Lake County Junior High Athletic League postseason tournament Saturday in Kelseyville.
Upper Lake (14-1), the No. 1 seed, had beaten Terrace (16-2), the No. 2 seed, twice in league play. A third win over the Vikings would have meant an undefeated season.
“Halftime saved us,” Terrace head coach Derick Fiske said. “We adjusted our offense to their defense. Shots started dropping. Isaiah hit two huge 3s to get us rolling.”
While the Vikings outscored the Wildcats 32-20 after falling behind 27-18 in the third quarter, Fiske said it was the Terrace defense that won the game.
“Dillon Eagan came in and showed how big heart was,” Fiske said. “He absolutely battled down low. John (Pasalo) and Joplin (Canada) were smothering on defense and forced a lot of turnovers and layups coming back.”
“Yesterday’s championship game didn’t end the way we hoped,” Upper Lake head coach Dani Paige Gudmundson said. “The third quarter is where it slipped away from us, and we found ourselves down 35-33 heading into the fourth. A tough stretch, turnovers and moments that didn’t go our way ultimately made the difference.”
Terrace built as much as a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, but Upper Lake got as close as two points with less than a minute to play. The Wildcats had a few seconds left to tie the game trailing 50-47, but a turnover on the inbounds play sealed the Vikings’ big win.
“Isaiah and Andre hit huge 3s, but we just couldn’t put ’em away,” Fiske said. “Isaiah hit huge free throws, and we just scrambled to preserve the win.”
“These boys never stopped fighting and always kept their heads up,” Gudmundsons said of the Wildcats. “In a tough, physical game, they played hard and they played the right way. I’m incredibly proud of the great, competitive basketball they put on the floor. We’re also lucky to have the best fans around. Always supportive, always classy, and always behind these boys.”
“Probably the best eighth-grade game I’ve ever seen,” Fiske said. “I can’t say enough about the team. Privileged to just be a part.”
“I wish more than anything I could have given them that win because they worked so hard and deserved it, but one game does not define this season or this group,” Gudmundson said. “I’m so proud of these boys. Proud of their growth, proud of their fight, proud of their heart.”
Cayden Beecher led the Wildcats with a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 12 steals while Xielan Florz added 14 points and six rebounds, four assists and six steals. Bennett Guardino had nine points and seven rebounds.
Canada finished with eight points for Terrace.
Following the game All-League honors were bestowed on Terrace’s Pasalo, Canada and Andre McCloud as well as Upper Lake’s Guardino, Cayden Beecher and Jose Delgado Beecher. Also honored were Anthony Arias and Inteus Lopez of Mountain Vista, Alex Calderon of Obsidian and Ruben Rincon of Middletown.
Mountain Vista beat Obsidian 45-29 in the third-place game.
B-division playoffs
No. 1 seed Terrace beat No. 2 seed Middletown 48-35 to the B-level championship game while Mountain Vista defeated Obsidian 47-35 in the third-place game.
