Kelseyville retains sole possession of first place with 76-74 marathon win
By Brian Sumpter
Lake County Sports on Facebook
LAKEPORT >> In a game that was up for grabs from late in the fourth quarter through the third overtime period, the Kelseyville Knights pulled out a thriller, beating the Clear Lake Cardinals 76-74 in North Central League I varsity boys action Tuesday night in Lakeport.
While it’s still relatively early in the NCL I race, a Clear Lake win would have created a three-way tie atop the league standings. However, thanks to a late bucket and free throw from Kelseyville point guard Jair Inostroza Carrillo, who scored the game’s final three points, the Knights remain alone in first at 5-0, one game ahead of Middletown (4-1) and two ahead of Clear Lake (3-2).
“I didn’t think it was ever going to end,” Kelseyville head coach Chaze Russell said of the triple-overtime marathon. “It will be interesting when we get to see them (Cardinals) again. At least we beat them here, so the next one is at our place.”
“That’s what a rivalry game is all about,” Clear Lake head coach Shady Cerezo said after the Cardinals, who scored the first four points in the third overtime to go up 73-69, watched the Knights outscore them 7-1 the rest of the way.
Heroes? Goats? There were plenty on both sides. While the Knights and Cardinals hit numerous pressure-packed shots from the floor, neither team could do much at the free-throw line, especially during the overtime periods.
Kelseyville shot better from 3-point range than from the line (39 percent to 38 percent) while Clear Lake missed 11 free throws during the game.
“One more free throw in regulation or in any of the overtimes and we probably win,” Cerezo said.
Kelseyville trailed by as many as 15 points early in the second quarter, but the Knights answered a 20-7 Clear Lake first quarter during which the Cardinals made five 3-pointers – four by Zane McAuley – with a 21-14 second quarter to close to 34-28 by halftime.
The Knights didn’t take during their first lead until Riley Lopez connected on a 3-pointer with less than three minutes remaining in regulation, putting Kelseyville up 53-50. After Clar Lake closes to 53-52 on a Jesse Hayes basket, Carrillo scored inside and then hit a corner 3-pointer to make it 58-52 with 1:45 left. McAuley, who led all scorers with 27 points, the result of nine 3-pointers, hit back-to-back treys, the second one with 16.5 seconds left, to tie the game at 58-58 and sent it into overtime.
And the fun was just beginning.
In the first overtime, both teams took turns hitting 3-pointers – first by Kelseyville’s Ryan Keithly, then two more by McAuley to give Clear Lake a 64-61 lead. Nick Arredondo, who had five 3-pointers on the night, hit a baseline trey to knot the score at 64-all as the Cardinals called a timeout with 14.5 seconds left. Clear Lake turned the ball over with 2.5 seconds over and Carrillo missed a half-court 3-pointer that wasn’t that far off the mark.
In the second overtime, another McAuley 3-pointer put the Cardinals up 67-64. Kelseyville’s Jacob Amendola scored down low to make it 67-66, which is where the score remained as both teams went to the line for a pair of free throws and missed both. There were four missed shots from the field – two by each team – before Clear Lake scored down low for a 69-66 lead. That’s when Arredondo dialed up another 3-pointer that caught all net with 46 seconds left, tying the score at 69. The Cardinals survived a missed 3-pointer by Kelseyville to reach the third overtime.
In the third and final overtime period, Clear Lake’s AJ Bruch hit a shot in the paint for a 71-69 lead. Tony Moreno’s basket inside gave the Cardinals a 73-69 lead with 3:08 left. Kelseyville missed two more free throws before forcing a jump ball and getting the ball back on the possession arrow. Amendola scored inside to make it 73-71, and the game turned seconds later when Bruch was called for an offensive foul on a drive inside, his fifth foul. Carrillo scored on his own drive inside to tie the score at 73.
Both teams then missed 3-pointers. Clear Lake’s final point came seconds later when Hayes was fouled after missing a shot inside. He hit the first free throw but missed the second as the Cardinals took their final lead, 74-73. Carrillo hit a runner in the lane with 29.1 seconds left, banking the ball off the glass, to put the Knights in front to stay at 75-74. Clear Lake missed a shot and Kelseyville grabbed the rebound. Forced to foul, the Cardinals sent Carrillo to the line where he hit the first of his two free throws for a 76-74 lead with 24.1 seconds remaining.
After a Clear Lake timeout, the Cardinals missed a 3-pointer but came down with the offensive rebound before missing another shot from inside the paint. As both teams scrambled after the loose ball, the final seconds ticked off the clock.
“Not having AJ there at the end hurt us,” Cerezo said as Bruch left the game with 19 points.
“We’ll get back to work against Lower Lake (on Friday),” Cerezo said.
Hayes joined McAuley and Bruch in double digits with 18 points.
Four different Knights also scored in double figures. Arredondo and Gordon Astrup, who played a strong game down low for the Knights, finished with 19 points apiece. Carrillo added 16 and Lopez had 12.
Carrillo’s clutch play late in the third overtime certainly didn’t escape Russell’s attention.
“Sometimes he’ll do something and you just shake your head,” Russell said.
On the flip side, he’s a spark plug for the Knights’ offense, and his wide-open playing style has plenty of positives, according to Russell.
“He makes good things happen,” Russell said.
