WEED – If you want to see a Weed Cougar salivate, show him a zone defense. The Cougars feasted on the Tulelake Honkers zone on Monday night, particularly Tanner Shelton. Shelton had four 3-pointers in the first quarter, six in the first half, and eight on the night. About the only time Shelton wasn’t raining 3-balls on the Honkers was while he was chillin’ on the pine, watching his teammates hit from long range. Weed nailed 14 treys in the game, on the way to a 65-43 win.

Tulelake opened the scoring on a bucket by Jacob Woodson. Weed’s Robert Gonzales tied it with a put back. A put back by Ivan Alvarado made it 4-2 Honkers. Then, Gonzales started the down pour of 3-pointers, giving Weed the lead 5-4. A bucket by Woodson gave Tulelake its last lead of the night, 6-5.

Back-to-back treys by Shelton made it 11-6 for the Cougars. Robert West added a freebie, 12-6. After Woodson hit a free throw, Shelton went back-to-back from beyond the arc again, upping the Cougar advantage to 18-7. Gonzales scored, 20-7. Tulelake’s Nick Staub put in two from the charity stripe to make it 20-9 at the end of the first quarter.

Tulelake made a couple of mini runs in the second quarter. Staub dished to Zane Burrier for a hoop to open the scoring. Staub then converted an old fashion 3-point play to narrow the gap to six points, 20-14.

Weed countered with the long ball, with West and Shelton hitting from downtown, to push the led back to double digits, 26-14. Gonzales added two free throws, 28-14.

A pair of throws from Staub and a put back made it 28-18. Shelton hit his sixth and final 3-ball of the half for Weed, to up the advantage to 31-18. Staub converted on an ally oop pass, and Jake Walden scored, leaving Weed with a 31-22 halftime lead.

Weed took total control of the game in the third quarter, out scoring the Honkers 25-8. Shelton hit his final two 3-pointers, Liam Hagerty got in on the act with a trey, as did Jake West. Every Weed starter had at least one 3-pointer in the game. The Cougars went on to win 65-43, playing mostly reserves in the fourth quarter.

Weed’s Tanner Shelton led all scorers with 24. Robert Gonzales put up 14, and Robert West had 10 points.

Tulelake was led by Nick Staub with 14 points. Jacob Woodson added 9, and Ivan Alvarado contributed 7 points.

Weed (8-2) travels to Dunsmuir (5-3) on Friday, December 18.

Tulelake (6-3) is at the Modoc Tournament this weekend and plays Chester (4-3) on Friday.