Some games are better off forgotten. That was the case for the North Tahoe boys after their 54-27 loss to visiting Yerington on Saturday.

The Lakers fell into foul trouble early and never got on track offensively — and Yerington took advantage. The Lions outscored the hosts 15-9 in the first quarter, 16-7 in the second and 18-4 in the third to run away with the league victory.

Yerington (11-3 overall) also defeated defending Northern Division III champion Incline, 82-69, on Friday and is the only undefeated team in league, at 3-0.

---

---

North Tahoe’s frustrations mounted in the first half as the fouls stacked up against the Lakers (1-3 league, 8-7 overall) and not the Lions, who escaped foul trouble despite playing an aggressive man-to-man defense.

The Lakers were called for 14 fouls in the first half, including two technicals, one of which was issued to coach Frank Wright after he reacted to a call. In the end Yerington shot 27 free throws to North Tahoe’s 10.

---

---

Wright on Monday filed a formal complaint to the NIAA about the officiating.

Play remained even through the first couple of minutes, as Yerington guard Bryan Ramirez opened with a 3-pointer en route to a game-high 21 points, and North Tahoe answered with back-to-back buckets by Nick Joslin and Miles Brandt.

The Lions scored the next six points and never trailed again, taking control with an 8-0 run early in the second quarter that extended their lead to 23-11.

Brandt snapped the run with a baseline jumper before completing a three-point play that shaved Yerington’s lead to 10. Brandt finished with a team-high nine points, all in the first half.

The rest of the North Tahoe squad, meanwhile, combined for seven points through the first two quarters as Yerington built its lead to 31-16 by the half.

The Lions picked up where they left off in the third quarter. After Max Burkhardt opened the half with a bucket in the post for the Lakers, Yerington went on a 17-2 run against a noticeably deflated North Tahoe team to close the quarter.

Senior forward Mitchell Myers, who went off for a season-high 24 points in the Lakers’ one-point loss to ROP the previous night, scored seven of North Tahoe’s 11 points in the second half and finished with eight.

Burkhardt scored four points and Joslin, who fouled out in the second half, added two points. Yerington’s Matt Brannan had 10 points.

Lakers edged by ROP

North Tahoe lost 57-56 to visiting Rite of Passage on Friday night.

Wright said the Lakers failed to score on multiple opportunities late in the contest, while the Rams (2-2 league, 3-4 overall) hit a number of big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter that helped them seal the win.

Aside from Myers’ 24 points, Joslin scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and Brandt scored eight.

North Tahoe is scheduled to host Silver Stage (1-3, 1-4) on Friday at 7 p.m. and play at Pershing County (1-3, 1-4) on Saturday.