Senior Colton Mertens paced the Sonoma Valley High Dragon hoopsters with 18 points Tuesday night as Sonoma Valley led from start to finish beating Rancho Cotate, 48-39.
Mertens put the Dragons on the board with a trey a little more than a minute into the contest and Rancho tried to play catch-up for the rest of the game. The Cougars did tie the game at 6 halfway through the first quarter, but a basket by junior Max Gustafson and another trey by Mertens made it 11-6 in short order.
The Ranch narrowed the margin to one twice in the second quarter, but Sonoma went on a 7-0 run over the last three minutes of the half on a basket and free throw by freshman Jay Taylor and baskets by senior Luke Severson and junior Dylan Samaniego gave the Dragons a 28-20 halftime lead.
Sonoma kept the Cougars at arm’s length most of the third quarter, stretching the lead to as many as a dozen three times in the quarter and held a comfortable 42-33 lead going into the fourth quarter.
When Samaniego hit a trey at the 5:50 mark of the fourth quarter, Sonoma’s margin was 13, at 48-35.
“It was a nice team win,” said Coach Mike Boles. “We did a good job taking care of the ball and an excellent job on the defensive boards.”
Mertens led the Dragons with 18 points and he pulled down five rebounds, Gustafson had eight points and six boards, Taylor and Samaniego each had seven points and Taylor had three steals, and Severson had six points and seven boards.
The win gives the Dragons a 3-2 record on the young season. The Dragons traveled to San Rafael Thursday night, results not available at presstime.
Next Tuesday, Dec. 13, the Dragons will be at Ygnacio Valley in Concord before returning to Pfeiffer Gym on Friday, Dec. 16, to face Mt. Diablo.
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