WEED – The College of the Siskiyous Eagles picked up their first Golden Valley Conference win, 92-77, over the Lassen Cougars on Saturday night.

The Eagles were leading 38-28 a little over midway through the first half, when they went on a 17-4 run to close out the half up 23 points, 55-32. It looked like the Eagles would enjoy a blow out win like the Lady Eagles had earlier in the evening. It didn’t happen.

Instead, the Eagles seemingly lost the ability to score when the second half began. Eight and a half minutes into the second stanza, the Eagles had only scored nine points, all by Gil Mathieu via six free throws and a 3-pointer.

Lassen, however, opened the second half on fire, whittling the COS lead down to four points, 79-75, with 3:12 left to go in the contest.

COS was on the ropes, desperately clinging to a diminishing lead.

With his team in a funk, and what had appeared a sure win rapidly slipping away, COS Coach Kyle Heath challenged his players.

“(I) asked them if they were gonna let this team beat them in their own house, or dig in and stop them. They responded,” Heath told SiskiyouYouth.com.

The Eagles responded by trashing the Cougars with a 13-2 run to finish the game, including a span where COS outscored Lassen 11-0. Al Alexander got it started with a hoop. Two freebies by Ray Featherston made it 83-75. Alexander added three points the hard way, 86-75. Two from the charity stripe by Alexander upped the lead to 88-75. Lionel Delisca added a pair of free throws, 90-75. After Lassen finally scored, Mathieu and Alexander each dropped in a throw, to make the final 92-77.

Dylan Griffin, who was a man among kittens* down low in the first half, led COS with 20 points, 15 in the opening frame. Lionel Delisca put up 18 points. Gil Mathieu scored 16, Al Alexander 14, and Ray Featherston added 13 points.

COS (4-16, 4-1) travels to Butte (10-11, 2-2) on Wednesday, February 3. The Eagles lost to Butte, 77-76, earlier in conference play, but beat them in the preseason, 76-63.

* Yes. Baby cougars are called cubs, but kittens sounds better. Call it poetic license.