LAKEPORT — Chris Pender scored 21 points and the McKinleyville defense did the rest on Tuesday night as the Panthers beat the Clear Lake Cardinals 72-55 in a non-league varsity boys” basketball game at Lakeport.
“Pender is one smooth player,” Clear Lake coach Glenn Wienke said of the senior guard, who is the son of McKinleyville coach Tom Pender. “He has a lot of ballhandling skills and he goes to the hole smoothly.”
Wohali Bishop added 16 points and Harlan Leroux had 13 as the Panthers (7-3) broke open a one-point game at halftime with a 24-11 third quarter.
“Turnovers,” Wienke said of the mostly unforced 12 turnovers committed by the Cardinals (3-10) in the third quarter.
Clear Lake had as much as a seven-point lead in the second quarter before the turnover bug hit, according to Wienke.
“And McKinleyville took advantage,” Wienke said.
The Panthers erased the deficit and led 30-29 by halftime.
Ryan Richardson scored 20 of his team-high 27 points in the first half for Clear Lake but was held in check in the second half by a McKinleyville defense that guarded him man-to-man and double-teamed him near the basket.
“He had four shots in the second half and scored seven points,” Wienke said. “They just decided to shut down Ryan and take him out of the game.”
Three of Richardson”s second-half points came on a 3-pointer from midcourt to end the third quarter.
Jason Edwards had 10 points for the Cardinals, who have lost eight of their last nine.
Seth Glazier added eight points and Ryan Grady had six for the Cardinals, who return to action Saturday in Willits.
