LAKEPORT — Cloverdale High School senior Robbie Rowland crept within two points of the Redwood Empire”s most coveted basketball record — that for career scoring — in a 95-66 dismantling of the Clear Lake Cardinals on Tuesday night in Lakeport.
Rowland finished with 24 points, leaving him two shy of breaking the career record of 2,389 points by Rincon Valley Christian”s Rich Waller. Rowland needed 26 points entering Tuesday”s game to pass Waller. He will take the floor on Friday in Cloverdale against St. Helena with 2,388 points.
Rowland ran into some foul trouble in the second half — when he picked up his fourth foul — and came out of the game for good with 3:32 left in the fourth quarter. He missed a layup midway through the fourth quarter that would have given him the record.
With the win, Cloverdale moves to 5-0 in the North Central League I South standings. Clear Lake drops to 2-3 and 9-14 overall.
In a game where the emphasis was clearly on offense, Cloverdale led 33-24 after one quarter and 62-44 by halftime.
Clear Lake coach Glenn Wienke was ejected midway through the first quarter after picking up two technical fouls in a matter of seconds.
“He double-T”d me in a matter of about eight seconds,” Wienke said of a game official.
Wienke said he was upset with a foul call on Clear Lake”s Seth Glazier.
“I didn”t say anything that warranted that,” Wienke said. “I haven”t had a technical in two years.
“It”s just a shame the refs missed a good game,” Wienke added.
As a result of the ejection, Wienke will miss the Cardinals” home game Friday against St. Vincent (4-1).
Ryan Richardson”s 22 points paced the Cardinals and pushed the senior over 1,300 points for his career. Tanner Mansell tied his season high with 18 and Jason Edwards added 12, including three 3-pointers.
“Eighteen points is something to be proud of for him,” Wienke said of Mansell. “He played a great game.”
