UPPER LAKE — Jaymen Richardson scored a season-high 24 points and the Lower Lake Trojans cruised to a 66-43 win over the Upper Lake Cougars in a North Central League I interlock varsity boys” basketball game on Saturday in Upper Lake.
Lower Lake (9-4) scored the game”s first 16 points en route to a 16-2 first-quarter lead.
“It was terrible,” Upper Lake coach Forrest Stogner said of his team”s slow start. “We made nine turnovers in the first quarter.”
Upper Lake (3-9) played Lower Lake (9-4) even during the next two quarters but couldn”t cut into the Trojans” lead.
“We need to cut down on turnovers and play better defense,” Stogner said.
Nick Steward scored 13 points for Lower Lake and George Novak and Gage Carlson added eight apiece.
Lance McCloud”s 14 points, including four 3-pointers, paced the Cougars. Brandon Bills added nine points, all on 3-pointers.
In other boys” action Saturday:
Willits 59, Clear Lake 54
At Willits, the Clear Lake Cardinals took a nine-point lead into halftime but couldn”t maintain it in the second half against a Willits Wolverines squad that suited up only six players and finished the game with just four.
Willits outscored Clear Lake 16-5 in the third quarter to wipe out a 32-23 halftime deficit.
“Third quarters are our Achilles” heel,” Clear Lake coach Glenn Wienke said. “Our intensity was there in the first half but in the second … we were just flat and it”s something we”re addressing.”
Wienke said the Cardinals (3-11) play with “amazing grit” in the final minutes of games but not earlier.
“These are things we have to fix,” Wienke said.
Another is free-throw shooting. Clear Lake is averaging less than 50 percent on the season and the Cardinals hit just eight of 21 shots against the Wolverines.
“I thought it would get better but after 14 games it”s a concern,” Wienke said.
Willits lost two players to fouls late in the contest and had to play the final 52 seconds with only four on the floor.
Ryan Richardson led the Cardinals with 25 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Jason Edwards added 13 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Cloverdale 75, Middletown 46
At Cloverdale, the Cloverdale Eagles found the range on five 3-pointers during a 31-point first quarter in their victory over the Middletown Mustangs.
“It seemed like every kid who shot the ball from 3-point range made it,” Middletown coach Mike Mullin said. “They”re the real deal.”
The Eagles led 31-10 after one quarter and 44-24 at halftime.
Robbie Rowland”s 29 points paced the Eagles, who suffered their first two losses of the season during last week”s Rose City Tournament in Santa Rosa.
“I think they took it out on us,” Mullin said.
Kyle Harmyk”s 13 points paced the Mustangs, Bo Sheffer added 11 and Jereomy Hoefer had eight.
Girls” basketball
Cloverdale 52, Middletown 9
At Middletown, the Middle-town Mustangs trailed 14-3 after one quarter and couldn”t recover against the Cloverdale Eagles.
“We couldn”t get comfortable,” Middletown coach Marnin Pyzer said. “The last four or five games we”ve struggled in the first quarter. Once we get behind like that, it”s hard for us to fight our way back. It”s become a pattern that we need to break in our next game.”
Alexis Rockwell led Middletown (2-11) with three points.
Willits 73, Clear Lake 23
At Lakeport, the Clear Lake Cardinals played one competitive quarter before the Willits Wolverines took control and rolled to an easy victory.
“Too many turnovers,” Clear Lake coach Jennifer Goff said. “They were in an aggressive trap press and we spent too much time in the backcourt. We played intimidated.”
Willits outscored Clear Lake 28-7 in the second quarter to open up 46-17 halftime lead.
Cierra Snider”s 21 points paced the Wolverines, one of the favorites in this year”s NCL I North race.
Jessica Asbury”s nine points paced the Cardinals (4-7).
Lower Lake 45, Upper Lake 28
At Lower Lake, the Lower Lake Trojans raced to a 17-2 first-quarter lead while knocking off the Upper Lake Cougars.
It was the 10th win of the season for the Trojans (10-4), who won a grand total of eight games last season.
“They ran a little half-court trap (in the first quarter) and we couldn”t break it to save our lives,” Upper Lake coach Don Meri said.
Upper Lake (6-8) scored more points in the fourth quarter (17) than in the first three quarters combined.
“We either shoot well or we don”t,” Meri said. “Every time we miss, that thing (hoop) gets smaller and smaller.”
Jonesha Beasley scored eight of her team-leading 12 points in the first quarter for the Trojans. Tashee Denson also had 12 points and Veronica Wilder added 10.
Ashley Arroyo”s seven points led the Cougars.
JV boys
Clear Lake 53, Willits 38
At Willits, Clear Lake bolted out to an 11-0 lead and went on to beat the Willits Wolverines in a junior varsity boys” game.
Willits recovered from its slow start to take a 21-20 halftime lead, but the second half belonged to Clear Lake.
“We played man-to-man defense in the second half and steadily pulled away from the them,” Clear Lake coach Jeremy Hopkins said.
Steven Edwards” 26 points, of which 17 came in the second half, paced the Cardinals. Nick Carley and Matt Gatton added eight apiece.
“Gatton had a very good game, especially on the boards,” Hopkins said.
JV girls
Lower Lake 55, Upper Lake 15
Danacka Whittington”s 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists propelled the Lower Lake JV girls to a win over the Upper Lake Cougars.
“She was awesome,” Lower Lake coach Ray Silva said of Whittington.
Angelique Faith scored 10 points for the Trojans, who improved to 10-5.
Shayla Wyman”s eight points paced the Cougars, who trailed 31-8 at halftime.
