Junior guard Brooklyn Williams drained a 3-pointer to put Scotts Valley High’s girls basketball team ahead by five points with a minute left and the unbeaten Falcons held on to beat Pioneer of San Jose 42-41 in Sunnyvale on Thursday.

The score was tight for the duration of the The King’s Academy Tournament quarterfinal. Scotts Valley trailed 8-4 after the first quarter, but held a 19-18 lead at the half. The Falcons entered the fourth up 31-27.

Scotts Valley (5-0) faces Sacred Heart Prep (3-1) of Atherton in the semifinals on Friday at 6 p.m.

“We had good effort and intensity all game,” Falcons coach Stu Hurvitz said. “We are going to need bring that again tomorrow (Friday) against SHP.”

Williams, sophomore guard Hanna Shehorn, and senior forward/center Claire Skinner each finished with eight points for the Falcons. Junior guard Sammy Rebbert chipped in with seven points.

Junior Cassie Itatani scored 11 points for the Mustangs (3-1), and freshman Aly Liu scored 10 points.

San Lorenzo Valley 64, at DCP El Primero 16 >> Senior guard Violet Slayer made three 3-pointers and scored 21 points, and the Cougars won their fourth straight nonleague game Thursday.

Junior forward Poppy Owens had 20 points and seven rebounds for SLV (7-2), and sophomore point guard Sophia Marello had five points and 10 steals.

Senior Kelsy Murguia scored all 16 points for the Lobos (0-6).

The Cougars play at Notre Dame (4-0) in its Steve Geramoni Tournament in Belmont on Friday.

At St. Francis 57, Everett Alvarez 33 >> Sophomore Maya Calfee scored a game-high 24 points, and the Sharks won their nonleague game Thursday.

Freshman Liliana Whitmeyer scored 22 points for the Sharks (2-1), who play at SLV (7-2) in Felton on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Saratoga 55, Harbor 12 >> Sophomore Julianne Sanguinetti posted a double-double in the Pirates’ nonleague loss Thursday.

Sanguinetti had eight points, 15 rebounds and 15 blocks for the Pirates, who were missing two starters.

Harbor (1-4) plays at Palma (3-0) on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Surfing

Pacifico Surf Open Puerto Escondido >> Santa Cruz’s John Mel won his opening heat at the World Surf League’s Pacifico Surf Open Puerto Escondido, a 1,000-point Qualifying Series event taking place off the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Mel finished with a two-wave total score of 10.35 in 4- to 6-foot waves on Friday in Heat 9 of the Round of 64. Cose Stoyanoff (8.75) of Virginia Beach, Virginia, took second and also advanced. Quetzal Estrada (7.70) of Mexico and Tab Textor (0.15) of Palm Beach, Florida, were eliminated.

In the Round of 32, Mel competes in Heat 5 against Kepa Mendia of West Palm Beach, Florida, Kai Gale Grani of Panama, and Irving Martin of Mexico.

Boys basketball

At St. Francis 72, Kirby 34 >> Robert Gomez made four 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 21 points in the Sharks’ nonleague win Thursday. He also had five rebounds.

Nash Horton had 14 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and six steals for the Sharks (6-0). Jacob Jimenez had 11 points, four rebounds, and four steals.

Rain Li scored 11 points to lead the Griffins (1-3).

St. Francis hosts North Monterey County (2-1) on Monday at 7 p.m.

Independence 56, Soquel 43 >> The Knights dropped their opener at the Luis and Lucille Scattini Memorial Tournament at Palma School in Salinas on Thursday.

Soquel (2-3) faces Seaside (0-5) in the consolation semifinals on Friday at 5 p.m.

At Thomas More 38, Pacific Collegiate 37 >> The Pumas rallied from a 25-14 deficit at the half and took the lead in the fourth quarter, but late turnovers proved costly in their nonleague loss Thursday.

Junior Ian Bulfin scored 15 points for PCS (2-4). Garrett Koontz added 11 points and Son Mai-Clark chipped in nine points. Senior Thomas May had nine rebounds.

PCS plays at King City (1-3) on Jan. 8.

Girls soccer

Soquel 3, at Carmel 0 >> The Knights’ defense, Chloe McGilvray, Ashlyn Brady, Milana Flores, Mia Barton, and Caitlin Curly, helped set up its offense and posted its third shutout in four games Thursday.

Goalkeeper Ophilia Lewis recorded the shoutout.

Soquel outshot Carmel 13 to 2. Isis Tumanson scored from six yards out on the first goal. Chloe Izenstark scored on a corner kick assisted by Arden Salles to give the Knights a two-goal lead at the half.

Mia Barton scored on her 35-yard shot in the second half.

Soquel (3-0-1) hosts Pajaro Valley (0-1-0) on Monday at 6 p.m.

PCS 1, at Harbor 0 >> Senior Anna Walker-Edwards scored in the first half and the Pumas hung on for the nonleague win Thursday.

Sophomore keeper Kat Buckley recorded the shutout with help from defenders Kate Lane, Eva Ramirez-Truse, and Kaia Gurdak. Sophomores Amelie Pan and Elia Mas controlled the midfield for the Pumas.

PCS (1-2) plays at San Lorenzo Valley on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.

Christopher 2, MVC 0 >> Sophomore goalie Chloe Shaw gave up a pair of goals in the Mustangs’ nonleague loss Saturday.

MVC (1-2-1) hosts Gilroy on Saturday at 10:45 a.m.

Pajaro Valley 7, North Salinas 2 >> Valeria Acosta scored five goals and had an assist in the Grizzlies’ nonleague win Tuesday.

Leslie Carrisoza had a goal and three assists, and Denise Magallon also scored a goal. Scarlet Gomez also made three assists.

Goalie Kendra Rivas made eight saves.

The Grizzlies (4-1-0) play Cristo Rey at the Salinas Soccer Complex on Saturday at noon.