File photo – The Eureka Loggers

The Eureka Loggers faced off against a Big 5 rival for the second straight day at the Arcata tournament on Saturday, but this time they enjoyed the better of exchanges.

One day after losing to Del Norte, the Loggers rallied in the second half to beat Fortuna 60-48, overturning a five-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Huskies 21-10 in the third quarter.

The early-season matchup was close throughout. 

“We continue to be impressed by the poise our young group continues to show,” Eureka assistant coach Andrew DeHart said. 

Sophomore Brayden Bermers continued to play beyond his years for the Loggers and helped spark the big third quarter with nine points on three 3-pointers.

Xavier De La Rosa Alcantara led Eureka in scoring and finished with 20 points, including 14 in the second half, and he rebounded “the ball like we’ve never seen from him before,” according to DeHart.

Ryder Mitchell also impressed for the Loggers and added 12 points, while Bermers finished with 11 points.

Another sophomore, Kyle Giacone, chipped in eight points to cap a big three days in tournament play.

Giacone was named to the all-tournament team for his “remarkable leadership and effort,” according to DeHart.

“I have to give credit to Eureka for their outstanding work on the offensive boards,” Fortuna head coach Norm Sortomayor said. “They also knocked down some crucial free throws down the stretch to secure the win.”

No final stats were immediately available for Fortuna.

But there was little to separate the two teams for much of the game.

“Fortuna played a great game, and it was a close game to the end,” DeHart said.

With the win, the Loggers improved to 5-3, while Fortuna dropped to 2-8.

“We played better today and I’m proud of our boys for competing,” Sotomayor said. “Unfortunately, the score is not reflective of the game. We were right there until we had to start fouling.”

File photo – The Fortuna Huskies