LOWER LAKE — The Lower Lake Trojans are going to win a game sooner or later … just not on Tuesday night.
Behind 17 points from Luke Humphrey and 13 from Nick Dellia, the Middletown Mustangs overpowered the Trojans 51-28 in the North Central League I opener for both of these varsity boys” basketball teams at Lower Lake High School.
Middletown (1-0 league, 8-4 overall), last year”s NCL I North co-champion in coach G.J. Rockwell”s first season, enters a realigned 2012 NCL I as the favorite along with last year”s NCL I South champion, the St. Helena Saints.
Lower Lake (0-1, 0-11) is not doing nearly as well for David Graham in his first season as the Trojans” coach. Although Lower Lake has played competitive basketball in spurts, including against Middletown in a 59-49 loss in last month”s 18th annual Record-Bee Hoop Classic at Kelseyville, the Trojans have yet to put together four solid quarters.
“We got pounded down low,” Graham said. “If you don”t box out ? and we didn”t ? they keep getting rebound after rebound. Their second and third chances just killed us.”
Ahead 12-8 after one quarter, Middletown upped its advantage to 24-12 by halftime and 38-15 after three quarters.
Richard Tucker had five points to lead Lower Lake.
In other league games on Tuesday:
Kelseyville 54, Willits 48
At Willits, Devon Call came off the bench to score 18 points, 13 of those in the second half, and the Kelseyville Knights beat the Willits Wolverines in the NCL I opener for both schools.
Willits took a 39-38 lead into the fourth quarter.
“It was kind of back and forth,” Kelseyville coach Scott Conrad said. “Willits was prepared for us and they”re very well coached.”
Dustin Thaxton added 12 points, all on 3-pointers, Max Huff had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Wyatt Ferrell finished with 10 points as the Knights improved to 10-3 overall.
“I thought Wyatt Ferrell had a great game,” Conrad said. “It was kind of everybody doing their thing again.”
Clear Lake 70, Fort Bragg 67
At Lakeport, not even a 28-point fourth quarter could rally the Fort Bragg Timberwolves, who fell to the Clear Lake Cardinals in the NCL I opener for both teams.
Clear Lake (1-0, 10-3) carried a 50-39 lead into the final period.
“They never gave up,” Clear Lake coach Glenn Wienke said of the Timberwolves. “We had a couple of timely turnovers and they were hitting everything. Up until the fourth quarter we were playing pretty good basketball.”
Clear Lake made its free throws down the stretch to preserve the victory. Steven Edwards, Clear Lake”s top scorer with 23 points, went 5-for-7 at the line in the fourth quarter.
“He was the guy they wanted to foul,” Wienke said.
Clear Lake”s Adrian Perez and Kyle Donald added 17 and 11 points, respectively.
Tomales 57, Upper Lake 43
At Upper Lake, Upper Lake went into halftime with a 21-17 lead but a 24-12 third quarter propelled the Tomales Braves to the win in NCL II play.
Wesley Thaxton”s 18 points powered the Cougars (1-1, 2-9) and Jared Wade added 13.
“We”re definitely making good strides,” Upper Lake coach Christopher Cisneros said.
