Lassen Grizzlies skills tested as season heats up
The Lassen High School Grizzlies basketball team faced two tough opponents. The first was on the road against U-Prep, Friday, Jan. 24 where the Grizzlies battled it out all four quarters, but ultimately fell 45-43 against the Panthers.
Then Wednesday, Jan. 29 the Grizzlies took on the Central Valley Falcons to finish Winterfest celebrations. The Grizzlies faced a tough team but ended the night with 49-43 win over the visiting team.
U-Prep
The Grizzlies opened up the first quarter against the home team leading the game 13-11, and kept hold of the lead by one point going into half.
Following the half, the Panthers made a leap in score overtaking the Grizzlies 42-37 before the final quarter, when both teams clashed defensively and kept the scoring to a minimum as the Grizzlies scored three points and the Panthers shot six points.
Ryan Del Carlo took charge of the Grizzlies’ scoring, putting 12 points on the board, while Lowgan Fisher ended the night tallying 10 points.
Central Valley
The Grizzlies brought the next game home against the ruthless Central Valley Falcons for another close game. But before the game got underway, the visiting Falcons showed support by wearing pink for Lassen High teacher Allison Lake who is battling cancer.
Then before tip-off the Cave was brought to a 24-second moment of silence for Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant who tragically lost their lives along with seven others last weekend.
The Falcons started things off winning the tip off and then running it in the first few seconds for the game’s first basket.
Brock Wolf made a strong response sinking one of two three pointers by the Grizzlies, but the Falcons displayed a strong defense that complemented their aggressive offense that helped them take a 7-3 lead halfway through the quarter.
Before the two teams took their battle into the second quarter, Fisher made a big play, with a steal at half court where he ran it down for a lay up to end the first quarter with the Grizzlies trailing 10-8.
The Grizzlies made some offensive shifts in the second quarter, and the team pulled together to take the lead away from the visiting Falcons. Starting with Aaron Ogburn crashing the Falcons’ attempt at a three pointer, stealing the ball for a run at the basket.
The Grizzlies’ defense also played a huge role in holding the Falcons to a five-point quarter, while the Grizzlies sank 11 points before the half putting the Grizzlies at a 19-15 lead.
The Falcons managed to get a grasp on the Grizzlies’ zone defense in the third quarter where the Falcons didn’t shy from the three pointers, giving them 12 points of the 13 they scored in the third quarter.
But the Grizzlies managed to hold the lead and put away 11 points keeping at 30-28 over the Falcons.
The Grizzlies flexed their muscles in the final quarter responding to every basket the Falcons made, and in the waning minutes Growdon and Fisher put the finishing touches on the extremely close game to end it 49-43.
Growdon led the Grizzlies’ efforts with 11 points while Fisher pulled away at eight points.
The Grizzlies faced off against the Yreka Miners in the Cave Friday, Jan. 31. Results were unavailable at press time, but look for the results in the Tuesday, Feb. 11 issue of the Lassen County Times.
