HUMBOLDT — Some early foul trouble threatened to spoil Humboldt High’s Senior Night fun Thursday.
But some gutsy defense from reserves like Colin Cook, Avery Works, Keith Gomez and Mason Sterling helped the Cubs maintain control.
The bench was pivotal in the early going after four starters were sent to the bench with their second or third fouls in the first half.
They allowed Humboldt to keep its lead over Fredonia into halftime, and then shut down the Yellowjackets entirely in the second half of a 51-32 victory.
The win clinches a second straight Tri-Valley League championship for the Cubs, who wrap up the regular season Tuesday at Yates Center.
Humboldt head coach David Taylor, who also celebrated his 250th win at the helm for the Cubs, said the bench play was pivotal.
“Colin came in and gave us good minutes,” Taylor said. “Mason had another big game. Avery hit some big shots. Keith Gomez did a nice job when he came in. And Mason had another nice game for us.”
Sterling’s outside shooting was key as Humboldt raced to an early 14-6 lead.
But as the foul trouble started to strike, so did the Yellowjackets.
Fredonia closed to within 18-14 before rattling off six straight points. Sterling’s bucket midway through the second quarter gave Humboldt a 24-14 lead.
But Fredonia closed the gap to 26-21 before both teams went scoreless over the last three minutes of the half.
“We got through it,” Taylor said. “And the guys were able to refocus and do what we needed them to do.”
Fredonia’s Elias Barnett scored at the 3:10 mark of the third quarter to slice Humboldt’s lead to 34-30.
But Humboldt’s Sam Hull got inside for a bucket to start what became a 16-0 run. Works followed with an inside basket, and then a free throw. Asher Hart’s free throw in the waning seconds of the third quarter made it 40-30.
Sterling’s basket with 2:13 left in the game put the lead at 50-30 before Max Coulter scored on a driving layup to Fredonia to end its scoring drought.
