SCOTTS VALLEY >> In a game that symbolized the “changing of the guard” in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League girls basketball, upstart and undefeated Scotts Valley High defeated four-time defending champion Santa Cruz 52-31 on Tuesday evening.

With the win, the Falcons (18-2, 8-0) swept the season series with the Cardinals (11-10, 6-2) and with two games remaining in league play, secured no worse than a share of the league title. Scotts Valley last won the SCCAL title in 2016.

Scotts Valley remained unbeaten on its home court in front of a packed house on a rainy night. The game began as sloppy as the wet roads outside.

“We started out excited,” said Falcons sophomore guard Hanna Shehorn, who scored 15 points. “They were scrappy, we were scrappy, a lot of turnovers and jump balls.”

Ninth-year Cardinals coach Todd Trowbridge gave credit to Scotts Valley.

“We had a good game plan,” he said. “They’re a good team. They’re an older team and everyone came back from last year. A lot of maturity over there.”

The Cardinals, with their aggressive style of defense, held the Falcons in check for most of the first half, but Scotts Valley still managed to take a 22-16 lead into halftime.

Falcons senior center Claire Skinner, one of three returning seniors, was a force inside on both ends of the court, especially in the second half.

“We knew this was going to be really tough,” said Skinner, an all-league flag football talent in the fall who plans to play lacrosse in the spring. “In the second half, we came out with even more intensity and further held them on defense.”

Maturity, more defensive intensity and a key offensive adjustment by Scotts Valley’s coaching staff turned a close game into a decisive victory.

“We made an adjustment at halftime,” said Scotts Valley coach Stu Hurvitz. “We spaced the floor out a little bit more which allowed us to cut a little bit better and allowed us to get the basket a little bit more.”

Junior guard Samantha Rebbert also scored 15 points for the Falcons. Skinner chipped in with eight points, six in the second half.

Sophomore Mila Conn led Santa Cruz in scoring with 12 points.

Scotts Valley outscored the Cardinals 14-7 in the third quarter and 16-8 in the fourth quarter for a dominant win.

Game over and mission accomplished, at least for this night.

“It’s good to play from the front but everybody’s coming for you,” said Hurvitz, who is in his second stint as the Falcons’ head coach.

Both teams had two games remaining in the regular season. On Thursday at 5:30 p.m., Scotts Valley hosts San Lorenzo Valley, while Santa Cruz hosts Aptos.