Lassen falls to Butte in conference tuneup

The Lassen Cougars faced a tough challenge against Butte on December 29, 2024, falling 74-49 in a hard-fought game. Struggling offensively in the first quarter, Lassen managed just 4 points while Butte built an early lead. Despite improved efforts in the second and third quarters, the Cougars couldn’t keep pace with Butte’s explosive offense, which included a 27-point third quarter that put the game out of reach. Key contributors for Lassen included Nadi Velazquez, who led the team with 17 points and 8 rebounds, and Miliani Crosno, who came off the bench to add 10 points and 6 rebounds. However, challenges at the free-throw line, where Lassen shot just 40% (8-20), hurt their ability to close the gap.

While the Cougars showed moments of resilience and flashes of strong play, Butte’s dominance on the boards and efficient scoring proved too much to overcome. Butte’s standout performance from Shade Satica, who posted 29 points and 16 rebounds, led their balanced attack, which included a 50-33 advantage in rebounding. With this game behind them, the Cougars, now 6-10 on the season, will look to regroup, sharpen their execution, and bounce back in their next matchup.