Athletes of the week

(Published during the high school sports season)

(For the week of Dec. 15 through Dec. 21)

Boys

Tj Malicay (So.) Upper Lake High School basketball

His varsity career is just starting, but Tj Malicay is already making his presence known for the Upper Lake Cougars. Malicay scored 21 points in an overtime league loss to Clear Lake early in the week at Lakeport. He came back later in the week to score 48 points — 16 in each of three games — at the Gene Cotter Memorial Tournament at South Fork High School in Miranda where his team ended up second. Malicay was named to the All-Tournament team.

Girls

AJ Wurm (Sr.) Kelseyville High School basketball

One of three Lake County seniors closing in on 1,000 career points, Kelseyville High School senior AJ Wurm scored in double figures in each of the Knights’ three Stokes Tournament games this week as the team finished second, losing only to powerhouse St. Bernard in the championship game. After a tough start to her week in a 32-18 league loss at Middletown, Wurm came back with a 24-point effort against Clear Lake, 20 points against Middletown in the Stokes semifinals, and 14 against St. Bernard. Wurm rarely gets a break because of Kelseyville’s limited bench, and probably no one player spends more time diving after loose balls than she does.