By Ray Hamill — The Arcata girls ended a seven-year wait for a Big 5 championship in basketball with a gutsy performance on Friday night.

With the conference title on the line, the Tigers welcomed the Eureka Loggers to Arcata High and won a physical game by a score of 50-44.

The win lifted the home team to 8-0 in conference play and secured the Big 5 pennant outright.

Check out some game highlights from all four quarters above, including the postgame celebrations.

The Eureka girls led by as many as eight early in the second quarter, but that sparked the Tigers to life and they went on a 22-6 run to close out the half and take control of the game heading into halftime.

The Loggers would rally in the fourth quarter and narrowed the deficit to one early in the period.

Once again, however, the Arcata girls answered the call and closed out the game the stronger of the two teams, holding the visitors to just two baskets over the final 5:30 of the game.

The win gives the Tigers a Big 5 championship double in varsity basketball action, with the school’s boys team also winning this year’s title outright.

Both the boys and girls teams will now turn their attention to next week’s Dick Niclai tournaments.

As Big 5 champs, they each receive a top seed and a first-round bye.

The boys will begin tournament action in their semifinal on Wednesday night at College of the Redwoods, when they will play either Hoopa or Ferndale, while the girls play their semifinal at CR on Thursday night against either Hoopa or Ferndale.

As league champs, both teams should also get at least one home game for the upcoming North Coast Section playoffs.

The Section tournament brackets will be announced next weekend, with the action getting under way the following week.

Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com