Scott Valley JH is second, Sisson third

YREKA – The Jackson Street School Rams eighth graders won the Yreka Invitational basketball tournament last weekend with a 46-27 win over the Scott Valley Junior High Panthers. Sisson defeated Weed Elementary 46-25 for third place. Montague downed Big Springs, 32-29 in overtime, to finish fifth.

The Sisson cheerleaders took first place in the cheer competition. Matthew Morgan was the Hot Shot champion, and Cody Hoff took the 3-point shooting championship.

In the championship game between the Rams and Panthers, it was the Panthers that looked strong early in the first quarter, jumping to a 7-1 lead. Ricky Reynolds opened the scoring. Then, Preston Munson scored on a reverse lay up, and nailed a 3-ball to make it 7-1.

The Rams responded when David Sellons made it 7-3 on a put back. Another bucket and a free throw by Sellons made it a one point game, 7-6. The Panthers went back up by four points, 11-7, but Michael Elfgen scored four points late in the first quarter to narrow the Panthers lead to 13-11.

Jackson Street started the second quarter with a 9-0 run. Cody Hoff tied it, 13-13, with a hoop. A basket and two freebies by Elfgen put the Rams up 17-13. A put back by Kevin Berry and a Hoff free throw pushed the lead to 20-13.

Panther Nick Kraus finally stopped the run with a 3-pointer, making the score 20-16. The Rams led 25-18 at the half.

Jackson Street took control of the game in the third quarter, scoring the first 11 points. Two Berry free throws upped the Rams lead to 27-18. Hoff made it 29-18. A basket and freebie from Elfgen extended the lead to 32-18. Back-to-back buckets by Berry gave the Rams an 18 point advantage, 36-18, with 1:38 left in the third quarter.

Scott Valley’s Ty Bradford broke the run with a point from the charity stripe. A 3-point play the hard way by Kraus sent the game to the final frame with Jackson Street up 36-22.

In the fourth quarter, the Rams continued to get the better of the play, and went on to win 46-27.

Michael Elfgen led all scorers with 13 points. Kevin Berry had 10 points for the Rams, and David Sellons added six.

Nick Kraus led the Panthers with eight points. Preston Munson contributed seven points, with Ricky Reynolds putting up six.