Caselli-led Sonoma trumps Trojans

Senior Cyle Caselli showed why he’s a returning all-league standout for the Sonoma Valley High School varsity basketball boys by dominating the action at both ends of the court in Monday evening’s Sonoma County League clash with a longtime rival in Pfeiffer Gym.

Trying to secure a postseason playoff spot while staying alive in the SCL title hunt, the Dragons finished the second quarter on a 14-4 run, with Caselli scoring seven points and dishing out two assists, to gain a 25-14 halftime advantage over Petaluma.

When the visiting Trojans began the third quarter with a 9-4 run and looked to have turned the momentum in their favor, Caselli ended the threat with a long trey, and then preceded to score 10 of Sonoma’s next 12 points en route to a 49-40 triumph.

The Dragons, down 4-2 to start, quickly took the lead and never looked back in thwarting every Petaluma attempt to overtake them, and when fouled in the final two minutes, sealing the game at the free throw line with senior Alex Gustafson making one charity toss, and Caselli and senior Ryan Wilbanks each converting a pair.

Leading Sonoma, which swept the two-game regular season series from the Trojans, were Caselli’s double-double of a game-high 24 points – including four treys – and 10 rebounds to go with four blocked shots, four steals and three assists; junior Max Yankovich’s 11 points and three rebounds; Gustafson’s three points and four rebounds; junior Nicolas Diaz-De Torres’ three points; junior Edwin Reyes’ two points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals; Wilbanks’ two points, five rebounds, three assists and one block; senior Tristan Mertens’ two points, three rebounds, three steals and two assists; and junior Miles Pimentel’s two points.

With the win the Dragon boys evened their overall record at 11-11, while improving their SCL third-place mark to 6-3, and in a key showdown this evening in Santa Rosa they will face second-place Piner, before hosting Healdsburg in their home finale, and senior night, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, in Pfeiffer Gym.