Tough Thursday on the basketball court for varsity boys teams
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MIDDLETOWN >> Given the circumstances, the Middletown Mustangs put up a pretty good fight while falling 52-44 to the St. Vincent Mustangs in a non-league varsity boys basketball game Thursday night in Middletown.
St. Vincent, which won its second straight state championship in football last month, was back up to full strength with the addition of many players who were late in joining the team because of their participation in the football playoffs. Middletown, a 37-35 winner over St. Vincent last month in the third-place game of the Gary von Raesfeld Invitational at St. Vincent High School in Petaluma, was minus its leading scorer on the season, senior Bodhi Moore, who was participating in a golf tournament that had long been planned, according to head coach Jake Diehl.
St. Vincent (8-4) pushed ahead 25-17 by halftime before breaking the game open with a 20-8 third quarter. Middletown (9-4) battled back with a 19-7 fourth quarter but couldn’t close the gap enough.
“We started off hot and then got complacent for two quarters,” Diehl said. “I’m proud of the fellas for finishing the fourth strong.”
Added Diehl, “St. Vincent played excellent defense.”
Picking up the slack in Moore’s absence were Jon Hawkins and Anthony Bowerman, both with double-doubles. Hawkins had 15 points and 10 rebounds while Bowerman finished with 10 points and 10 boards. Sophomore guard Harrison Brown added 12 points, including three 3-pointers.
Jack Ellis powered St. Vincent’s offense with 20 points and Dylan Chelew added 13.
Middletown resumes its North Central League I schedule Tuesday at home against Lower Lake. St. Vincent hosts Elsie Allen on Wednesday.
In other boys basketball action Thursday:
St. Helena 67, Clear Lake 51
At Fort Bragg, playing St. Helena for the third time this season, the Clear Lake Cardinals fell to 0-3 against the Saints while losing in the opening round of the Vern Piver Holiday Invitational at Fort Bragg High School.
“The third time was not the charm,” Clear Lake head coach Mark Cory said. “The boys played hard, and we got good looks at the rim. We did not knock down the open shots at a high enough rate.”
Clear Lake’s job was made more difficult without Zane McAuley in the starting lineup. McAuley, the team’s top scorer on the season, is out with an ankle injury sustained during practice that will likely sideline him for “several weeks,” according to Cory.
“As a bonus we get to drive to Fort Bragg to play Upper Lake at 9:30 a.m.,” Cory joked of the consolation semifinal between the two Lake County schools on Friday.
“On a positive note, we doubled our points versus St. Helena this time around,” Cory said, referring to a 76-24 loss to the Saints on Dec. 14 in the championship game of the Gene Duffy Invitational in Calistoga.
Clear Lake (5-6) also lost 61-43 at St. Helena in the North Central League I opener for the two teams Dec. 10. They meet again Jan. 24 in Lakeport.
Jesse Hayes scored 17 points to lead the Cardinals and Sawyer Smith had 11.
St. Helena improved to 11-0 on the season.
Mendocino 55, Upper Lake 35
At Fort Bragg, in another first-round game at the Vern Pyzer Holiday Invitational, Mendocino beat Upper Lake despite 13 points from the Cougars’ Landen Robinson.
“The game started out rough,” said Upper Lake assistant coach Thomas Santana, who was filling in for head coach Tony Arroyo. “We were down 11 early and we couldn’t find any way to get a lead.”
Upper Lake got as close as five points twice, according to Santana.
“We looked sluggish with low energy,” Santana said. “Time and time again we struggled to score. Turnovers continue to be our issue. We know how to keep our opponents to low scores with our defense, but we just can’t find offense.”
Besides leading the team in points, Robinson also provided plenty of defensive intensity, according to Santana.
Upper Lake draws Clear Lake in the consolation semifinals Friday at 9:30 a.m.