LOWER LAKE — The Lower Lake Trojans clinched no worse than a co-championship in the North Central League I North varsity girls” basketball race Tuesday night with a dominating 60-26 victory over the Middletown Mustangs at Lower Lake.
“A great effort for the kids,” Lower Lake coach Jim Salmina said. “We brought the energy tonight right out of the gate.”
Lower Lake led 20-4 after one quarter and never looked back.
Rebounding from a 58-38 league loss to Willits, the Trojans closed out their league schedule at 7-1 while improving to 17-8 overall. Willits (6-1) needs a win Friday night at home against Middletown (4-3, 8-16) to earn the other half of the North title.
“Sometimes you get bit in the butt like that, it”s a wakeup call,” Salmina said of the loss to Willits, which snapped a nine-game Lower Lake winning streak.
All 10 Lower Lake players scored in a game for the first time this season. Veronica Wilder led the way with 10 points and five steals. Jonesha Beasley added eight points and 11 rebounds and April White had nine points.
Lower Lake improved to 6-0 at home.
In other girls” action Tuesday:
St. Helena 64, Clear Lake 40
At Lakeport, the Clear Lake Cardinals stayed close to St. Helena for three quarters before the Saints pulled away in the final period of their NCL I South game.
“I”m so proud of my kids,” Clear Lake coach Kory Reynolds said. “We played really hard for three quarters but we started getting beat up a little in that fourth quarter.”
Jessica Asbury, playing with a high ankle sprain, led the way with 18 points. Rebecca Baker added seven.
“She really, really hustled tonight,” Reynolds said of Asbury.
Clear Lake finishes South play at 2-6.
Cloverdale 66, Upper Lake 13
At Upper Lake, the Cloverdale Eagles clinched a second straight undisputed NCL I South championship with a victory over the winless Upper Lake Cougars.
Cloverdale improved to 7-0 in the South standings while Upper Lake fell to 0-7 and 4-19 overall.
“It wasn”t a lack of hustle,” Upper Lake coach Mike Smith said of his team”s performance. “They gave it their all.”
Ahead 25-9 at halftime, Cloverdale outscored Upper Lake 25-2 in the third quarter.
Katherine Edmonds” five points paced the Cougars.
St. Vincent 58, Kelseyville 32
At Kelseyville, Liz Berry scored 11 points and pulled down 10 rebounds but the Kelseyville Knights fell to St. Vincent in NCL I interlock action.
Mandy Spitzer added 10 points and six rebounds as Kelseyville fell to 9-14 overall.
“I”m very happy with what the girls did,” Kelseyville coach Deanne Goff said. “St. Vincent is a good team, an aggressive team.”
Boys” basketball
St. Helena 100, Clear Lake 61
At St. Helena, the St. Helena Saints clinched a tie for the NCL I South championship ? and rubbed it in the Clear Lake Cardinals” face in the process Tuesday night.
Leaving their starters in nearly the entire way, the Saints hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds to reach 100 on the scoreboard.
“No class,” Clear Lake coach Glenn Wienke said. “I never would have done that to another team. You eat the ball in that situation, you don”t put up a 3(-pointer).”
Clear Lake”s defense was porous from the beginning, according to Wienke, who said the Cardinals had one of their worst games of the season on the defensive end.
“We didn”t come to play basketball. Only (Tyler) Beets was playing defense.”
Kyle Donald scored 24 points and Tanner Mansell had 13 for the Cardinals, who finish up South play at 2-6. St. Helena improved to 6-1.
“I”m gonna remember this,” Wienke said of the Saints running up the score. “You just don”t do that.”
St. Vincent 59, Kelseyville 56
At Petaluma, the St. Vincent Mustangs held off the Kelseyville Knights in a NCL I interlock battle that wasn”t decided until the final seconds.
Kelseyville (16-9) closed to within a point of St. Vincent in the closing seconds but was forced to foul and the Mustangs hit two free throws to go up by three.
“They did a real good job of keeping the ball away from us at the end,” Kelseyville assistant coach Rich Facey said.
Trailing 36-25 at the half, the Knights came roaring back in the second half.
“We played a very strong second half against a good team on the road ? again,” Facey said.
Max Huff”s 19 points and 17 rebounds led Kelseyville, Dustin Thax-ton added 15 points and Mike Davis had 13 points and seven rebounds.
“It was a good game and we gave ”em a good battle,” Facey said.
Michael Meiswinkel”s 20 points paced St. Vincent.
