LAKEPORT — Jordan Chana scored 20 points off the bench and the Clear Lake Cardinals used a big second half to beat the Lower Lake Trojans 83-56 in North Central League I junior varsity boys” basketball action Friday night in Lakeport.
Chana and fellow freshman Damian Lopez (15 points) sparked a second-half Clear Lake surge that carried the Cardinals to their fourth win in as many league games this season. They improved to 14-1 overall.
“Probably the best second half of basketball we”ve played in a long time,” Clear Lake coach Jeremy Hopkins said of a 50-27 Cardinals blitz following a competitive first half ? 33-29.
Chana scored 16 of his points in the second half and fellow freshman Damian Lopez had 11 in the third quarter alone as the Cardinals outscored the Trojans 29-7 in the period.
“Those two freshmen are really starting to come into their own,” Hopkins said. “They have long arms and defense is what gets them going.”
Chana came up with a handful of steals in the third quarter, according to Hopkins.
“He had his hands in the (passing) lanes and he was getting some easy buckets at the other end,” Hopkins said.
David Mansell (16 points) and Ootie Lane (12 points) joined Chana and Lopez in double figures for Clear Lake.
James Clark”s 26 points powered Lower Lake.
“He was a beast out there,” Hopkins said of Clark.
Clear Lake faces a tough road test tonight in St. Helena. Tip-off is 5:30 p.m.
In other JV action Friday:
Middletown 43, St. Helena 32
At Middletown, Ian Bright returned to Middletown”s starting lineup and didn”t disappoint, scoring 14 points in a league win over the St. Helena Saints.
Middletown remains atop the league standings with Clear Lake ? both teams are 4-0 ? and the Mustangs improved to 9-6 overall.
Cody Chorjel added 13 points and Anthony Guzman had six for Middletown, but it was the Mustangs” defense that took control of the game early on.
“Between those three guys, it”s all athleticism,” Middletown coach Jon Hoogendoorn said of the suffocating defense played by Chorjel, Guzman and Wyatt Hall.
Middletown limited St. Helena to 12 points through three quarters, even with Hall and Brandon Rannells in early foul trouble. Tyler Holt and Connor Smith picked up the slack off the Middletown bench.
“They were solid off the bench,” Hoogendoorn said.
Middletown hits the road tonight to play Kelseyville at 5:30 p.m.
Kelseyville 40, Fort Bragg 21
At Fort Bragg, Kelseyville reserves played most of the second half as the Knights beat the Fort Bragg Timberwolves in NCL I action.
Kelseyville took a 25-9 lead into halftime.
Dustin Martin led the Knights with 18 points and Andrew Vonwal had nine.
JV girls” basketball
Lower Lake 46, Clear Lake 37
At Lower Lake, Kayla Meadows led the way with 14 points and the Lower Lake Trojans beat the Clear Lake Cardinals in NCL I play. Shelbie Harris joined Meadows in double figures with 14 points.
Aliza Atkins” 14 points paced Clear Lake.
Fort Bragg 35, Kelseyville 27
At Kelseyville, the Kelseyville Knights lost to the Fort Bragg Timberwolves in a battle of NCL I teams.
For Kelseyville, Amanda Ahart scored a team-best eight points while Ashley Dunia and Mary McCallister each had five.
