Before the start of one of the biggest home games in school history, Elsie Allen honored two seniors that are a big reason that the basketball program has made a big impact in a relatively short time.  They are Jalen Busby and Joe Hoeup and not because what they have done over the years for the program, but what they did last week.  Busby was named Cal Hi Sports Nor Cal “Player of the Week” for his school record 42 point performance in a win over Piner.   Hoeup was honored for going over the 1,000 point career mark.
Then in one of the biggest home games, or games period, in school history the two didn’t have the kind of game they are used to having.  Fortunately on this night the Elsie Allen team showed they are more than those two.  Then in the fourth quarter with the game still up in the air, Busby as if to say thanks to the other teammates for keeping it close, scored 12 of his game high 19 points, as Elsie Allen defeated Analy 57-49.
What that means is that this is officially a historic season for the Elsie Allen Boys program.  They now have a school record 19 wins. There is more history right there for them to grab.  Elsie Allen keeps a half game lead over Piner in the SCL Boys race and is now set up for the first ever Boys Basketball championship in school history, which they can get when they go to Petaluma on Wednesday.
The way the game started it looked like they realized how close they were and were having a hard time grabbing the moment.  They went three and a half minutes before scoring as Analy jumped out to a 7-0 lead, with Malcolm Jenkins scoring four of his team high 17 points.
Even with the slow start, one thing that did help Elsie Allen is Analy was committing fouls.  Elsie Allen would be in the bonus before the quarter was over and the foul thing would really play a factor later when Jenkins and Chance Ortega, Analy’s two leading scorers both fouled out in the fourth quarter.
Still, Elsie Allen needed a spark as they entered the second quarter down 12-6.  They got it from Bradley Greiner, who is averaging a little less than 10 points a game.  He topped that in the first half of the second quarter, scoring 12 of the team’s 14 points.  Elsie Allen took its first lead 20-17 on one of two Greiner three point shots during the streak.  Greiner scored two points the rest of the game.
It was “game on” after that.  There were ten lead changes over the next two quarters.  The biggest difference was a 27-22 Elsie Allen lead with a minute left in the second quarter.  Analy scored the next five points to tie it up, one of three ties during that time.
The first six scores of the fourth quarter were all lead changes.  The last gave Elsie Allen the lead for good when Erik DeLeon pulled down an offensive rebound and went back up to score as he was being fouled.  He hit the free throw to give Elsie Allen a 44-41 lead with four minutes left and started a 12 point run that put things away.  Busby scored five points during the run, two of them after a beautiful pass from DeLeon, which set him up for an easy basket.
The result also means that Analy is eliminated from the league race.  That might not mean that the Analy dynasty is over, but is taking a break. Analy hasn’t won every league championship over the last decade, it only seems that way. The seven they have won has given them dynasty status.
It appears this season belongs to Elsie Allen. A win at Petaluma on Wednesday will not only give them the magic twenty win season, but will assure them of at least a first place tie in the SCL race and the first basketball pennant in school history.
FRIDAY SCOREBOARD
BOYS
SCL
No. 4 Elsie Allen 57 No. 8 Analy 49
WATCH VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS HERE
No. 6 Piner 42 No. 10 Sonoma Valley 29
Petaluma 57 Healdsburg 34
El Molino BYE
SATURDAY
NON LEAGUE
El Molino at St. Helena
LEAGUE OVERVIEW: The win by Piner keeps the Elsie Allen championship party on hold until at least Wednesday.  Piner has the league bye on Wednesday before wrapping up the regular season at Healdsburg next Friday Night.
After its game with at Petaluma on Wednesday, Elsie Allen ends the regular season Friday Night with a home game against Sonoma Valley.
The four teams in the post season tournament will be Elsie Allen, Piner, Analy and Sonoma Valley.
NCL I
No. 7 Cloverdale 69 Lower Lake 54
No. 9 Willits 37 Fort Bragg 31
Kelseyville 57 Middletown 45
Clear Lake 62 St. Helena 48
SATURDAY
NON LEAGUE
El Molino at St. Helena
LEAGUE OVERVIEW: Cloverdale keeps a grip on the league title with the win.  The Eagles have a two game lead over both Willits and Kelseyville with three games to go. Cloverdale can clinch a tie for the league title with a home win over Middletown on Tuesday.
GIRLS
NBL
No. 1 Cardinal Newman 73 Maria Carrillo 20
Rancho Cotate at No. 2 Santa Rosa
No. 9 Windsor 53 No. 7 Montgomery 36
Casa Grande 44 Ukiah 22
LEAGUE OVERVIEW: Two more one sided wins sets up the game on Tuesday, when Santa Rosa travels to Cardinal Newman. Cardinal Newman has a one game lead with two games to go.
The win by Cardinal Newman gives them a 13 game winning streak and an overall record of 19-5.
The win by Windsor over Montgomery moves those two teams into a two way tie for third place, two games ahead of Casa Grande.  Casa Grande is still alive for the final spot in the NBL Post Season tournament.  The Gauchos are at Montgomery on Tuesday.  The good news is that they are head to head against one of the teams they are chasing.  The bad news is they end the regular season on Thursday with a home game against Cardinal Newman.
NCL I
No. 6 Middletown 47 No. 8 Kelseyville 36
Fort Bragg at Willits
Clear Lake 46 St. Helena 26
Cloverdale 53 Lower Lake 32
LEAGUE OVERVIEW: Middletown takes control of the league race with the win over Kelseyville. Middletown has a two game lead over Kelseyville with four left.
Ashlyn Welton scored 18 of her game high 22 points in the third quarter.  As the quarter started with a two point Kelseyville lead and ended with a 15 point Middletown lead.
Middletown has won seven straight, the loss was to Kelseyville, and are 16-6 on the season.
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
SONOMA COUNTY LEAGUE GIRLS
Elsie Allen at No. 3 Analy
Healdsburg at No. 4 Petaluma
Piner at No. 5 Sonoma Valley
El Molino BYE
LEAGUE OVERVIEW: Sonoma Valley is 8-1, Petaluma 7-2 and Analy 7-3.  The three leaders don’t meet the rest of the regular season.
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