The McKinleyville Panthers were the 51-34 winner over the Arcata Tigers when they last played one another on January 9th, but their luck changed this time around. The game between the two teams wasn't particularly close, with McKinleyville falling 59-44. They found out winning isn't easy when you don't work as a unit and rack up eight fewer assists than your opponent.
When it comes to explaining why McKinleyville lost on Friday, one person who can't be blamed is Flynn Creighton. Despite the final result, he scored 15 points along with eight rebounds and two steals. Creighton is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last four games he's played. Another player making a difference was Bode Douglass, who scored 11 points.
Arcata's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Luke Lemke, who dropped a triple-double on 15 points, ten rebounds, and ten assists. That's the first time this season that Lemke pulled down eight or more rebounds. Dawson Vallerga was another key contributor, scoring 19 points along with two steals.
McKinleyville's loss dropped their record down to 16-9. As for Arcata, they have been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five contests, which provided a nice bump to their 12-10 record this season.
Coincidentally, the pair will both be playing Eureka the next time they take the court. Arcata will host Eureka at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, while McKinleyville will host them at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
