LAKEPORT — Andrew Jackson scored 20 points in a variety of ways and the Clear Lake Cardinals held off several rallies by the Upper Lake Cougars to win 62-44 in a North Central League I South junior varsity boys” basketball game on Tuesday in Lakeport.
“AJ is getting all those points and he”s earning them,” Clear Lake coach Jeremy Hopkins said. “He”s found out that he can”t always just sit back and shoot the ball, he has to make things happen and he is.”
Clear Lake (2-1 South, 8-11 overall) had a 15-4 lead after one quarter only to watch Upper Lake come roaring back with a 21-12 second quarter that featured four 3-pointers by Anthony Duncan, who finished with 18 points — all on treys.
The Cardinals increased their 27-25 halftime advantage to 46-31 after three quarters and Clear Lake began to substitute its reserves into the game.
“But they got it down to 10 with three minutes to go so I had to put my starters back in there,” Hopkins said. “They (Cougars) never gave up.”
Ootie Lane”s 11 points and floor leadership were among the keys to Clear Lake”s win, according to Hopkins. Danny Partida added eight points.
Wesley Thaxton”s 23 points paced the Cougars, now 0-2 in the South.
The two teams combined for a dozen 3-point field goals.
In other boys” action Tuesday:
Willits 56, Lower Lake 53
At Willits, the Lower Lake Trojans lost for the first time in North play, falling to the Willits Wolverines in a game that went down to the final buzzer.
Lower Lake missed two 3-pointers in the closing 3.5 seconds.
“We had decent looks, too,” Lower Lake coach David Graham said. “The first one, by Jesse Meldrum, went off the front rim. I thought it was going in.”
Meldrum powered the Lower Lake offense with 25 points and Zane Kazaka added 10 more. Stephan Greathouse and Chad Mattos had seven points apiece.
“Meldrum pretty much carried us,” Graham said. “We turned the ball over too much … this is a tough one to swallow.”
The Trojans were without starter Richard Tucker, who missed the game because of the flu.
Middletown 66, Kelseyville 32
At Kelseyville, the Middletown Mustangs improved to 2-0 in NCL I North play behind a balanced attack of 13 points and nine rebounds from Blaine Amos, 12 points and six rebounds from Tyler Rockwell, and 11 points from Nate Snodgrass.
Point guard Ben Pike added four points, four steals and three assists.
In their North opener on Friday in Fort Bragg, the Mustangs beat the Timberwolves 56-31 behind 20 points from Snodgrass and 13 points and 10 rebounds from Rockwell. Amos added eight points and Pike had a team-best seven asssits and six steals.
JV girls
Lower Lake 61, Willits 30
At Lower Lake, Jan-iece LaValley”s 16 points and five assists combined with 14 points and eight rebounds by Danni Welch helped carry the Lower Lake Trojans to a win over the Willits Wolverines and a 3-0 start in the NCL I North standings.
Allison Lahr added nine points in the victory, all on 3-pointers.
Lower Lake led just 11-9 after one quarter but pulled away with a 16-6 second quarter and 20-6 third period.
The Trojans improved to 18-2 overall.
Middletown 26, Kelseyville 18
At Middletown, Jenny Hoefer”s eight points and Kristiana Outen”s seven points helped the Middletown Mustangs improve to 2-0 in the North standings. Jeannie Johnson”s 10 points powered Kelseyville.
Outen scored six of her seven points in the fourth quarter when the Mustangs pulled away. Teammate Madi Hicks also made four of five free throws
