ST. HELENA — Cole Ballentine”s 3-pointer rimmed out with seconds remaining, allowing the Clear Lake Cardinals to escape with a 62-59 overtime victory over the St. Helena Saints on Thursday night during North Central League I South varsity boys” basketball action in St. Helena.
Switching to a press defense, Clear Lake outscored St. Helena 16-8 in the fourth quarter to force overtime. In a back-and-forth overtime period, Ryan Richardson”s three-point play with 30 seconds left put Clear Lake ahead to stay. Ballentine”s bid to tie the game with less than three seconds remaining came up just short.
“I was so proud of them,” a hoarse Clear Lake coach Glenn Wienke said of the come-from-behind victory in the Cardinals” final game of the regular season.
Once 3-11, the Cardinals won for the ninth times in their last 12 games to improve to 12-14. They close out league play at 5-3 and will finish either tied for second or third depending on the outcome of tonight”s Cloverdale-St. Vincent game.
Richardson moved to within 15 points of 1,400 for his career, something only five other Lake County players have done. He”s guaranteed at least one more game as the Cardinals play St. Vincent in the first round of the NCL I South tournament next Thursday in Petaluma.
Seth Glazier finished with 14 points and Ryan Grady had 12 for the Cardinals, who trailed 32-26 at halftime.
