By Ray Hamill — As usual, the McKinleyville Panthers and Arcata Tigers served up an incredible atmosphere when they faced off in a playoff game at Mack High in boys basketball on Monday night.

The game itself didn’t quite live up to expectations, with the Tigers cruising to a 65-37 win in a showdown that decided long before the final buzzer.

However, the atmosphere was intense once again, as is usually the case when they two rivals face each other.

For the Panthers, it was probably their most disappointing performance of the year, which begs the question how will they respond in the Dick Niclai tournament and in next week’s North Coast Section playoffs.

They have plenty to prove, but they’re not a bad team after one game.

The Tigers, on the other hand, appear to be growing in stature at the business end of the season and suddenly find themselves as legitimate favorites for this week’s Dick Niclai tournament.

Check out some of the second-half highlights above including the amazing atmosphere in a packed and noisy gymnasium, with the Arcata student section every bit as impressive as their team on the court.

For more on the game, see Tigers win playoff battle; Warriors secure final Niclai spot …

Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – The Arcata players react during Monday’s game.

The Arcata student section had reason to smile on Monday night.