MIDDLETOWN — Senior guard John Hays pumped in 17 points and the Middletown High School varsity boys” basketball team won its season opener by beating St. Bernard of Eureka 51-34 in a first-round game Thursday night at the St. Helena Tournament.
Middletown (1-0) plays either St. Helena or Calistoga tonight at 8:30 p.m. in the semifinals.
With most of the Mustangs only recently joining the team after Middletown”s participation in the North Coast Section Division IV football playoffs, head coach Mike Mullin said his squad was noticeably “rusty” on offense.
“We were better in the second half,” Mullin said. “The defense played well. I was pleased with that.”
Leading 23-14 at halftime, Middletown began to pull away in the third quarter and went on to outscore the Crusaders 17-9 in the period.
Chris Oatman didn”t score but did pull down a team-leading six rebounds in limited playing time. Bo Sheffer led the Mustangs with seven boards and John Wesley Davis had five.
“Chris didn”t play much (he”s still nursing a minor injury from football), but he did a good job when he was in there,” Mullin said.
Hays picked up a team-best five steals to go along with his 17 points. Sheffer and Jereomy Hoefer added four steals apiece.
In other tournament action Thursday:
Girls” basketball
Lindhurst 58, Clear Lake 30
At Colusa, Lindhurst set the tone early with a 24-7 first quarter and went on to beat the Clear Lake Cardinals in a first-round game at the Colusa Tournament.
“We were just outmatched,” Clear Lake coach Jennifer Goff said. “They”re quick, big and fast, definitely stronger than they were last year.”
Briana Butcher”s 11 points paced the Cardinals (1-4).
“She was very solid the whole game,” Goff said of Butcher, who sank five free throws.
Katie Reynolds added nine points, hitting three of the Cardinals” four 3-pointers.
“We played hard, harder than we did in the Lake County Tournament (last week),” Goff said.
Clear Lake plays either Colusa or Champion Christian today in the consolation semifinals at 5:30 p.m.
Potter Valley 44, Upper Lake 42
At Willits, the Potter Valley Bearcats outscored the Upper Lake Cougars 15-5 at the free-throw line and held on to win a first-round game in the Willits Tournament.
“They got to the line a lot more than we did,” Upper Lake coach Donnie Meri said of the 33 free throws attempted by the Bearcats compared to just 13 for the Cougars. “We could not get a call inside.”
Katherine Edmonds led a balanced Upper Lake (1-4) offense, one that set a season high for points scored in a game. She finished with nine points, Ashley Arroyo added eight, Taryn Re had seven and Yessica Ayala chipped in with six.
“Katherine Edmonds played well, she”s starting to show steps of going forward,” Meri said. “And Yessica added some senior leadership, which we need.”
Ayala and Arroyo each had two 3-pointers.
Upper Lake plays Lower Lake today at 4:30 p.m. in the consolation semifinals.
Hoopa 59, Lower Lake 47
At Willits, Jonesha Beasley scored 23 points, but the Lower Lake Trojans lost a fast-paced and physical game to the Hoopa Warriors at the Willits Tournament.
Veronica Wilder scored nine points for Lower Lake (3-2) and had the team”s lone 3-pointer.
“They were really balanced,” Lower Lake head coach Jim Salmina said of the Warriors, who were led by LaDayle McCovey”s 13 points. “They pressed us full-court man-to-man.”
The two teams battled to a 25-25 halftime tie. Hoopa took a 41-37 lead into the fourth quarter.
“The kids played well, they”re coming along,” said Salmina, who is in his first season with the team.
Lower Lake didn”t help itself at the free-throw line, going 10-for-22.
The Trojans play Upper Lake today at 4:30 p.m. in the consolation semifinals.
