Prep basketball | Mack boys amp up intensity to best St. Bernard’s in Niclai final

With the intent to wear down the St. Bernard’s boys and their short rotation and thin bench due to injury, McKinleyville’s basketball team was a force to be reckoned with on Friday night at a packed Lumberjack Arena at Cal Poly Humboldt. Defending their Dick Niclai Tournament championship win from last year, the Panthers got 18 points from three different scorers, avenging two regular-season losses to the Crusaders and dealing them just their third setback of the season, 71-53. Big Five champ Mack goes to 19-8 after their first outright Big Five title-winning season, while Little Four victor SB drops to 23-3. “We wanted to push the ball, that was our biggest offensive key...