LAKEPORT — Dedicating their win to parent Phil Psalmonds, the Clear Lake Cardinals, led by Phil”s oldest daughter, Morgan, beat the Fort Bragg Timberwolves 47-41 in a North Central League I varsity girls” basketball game on Friday night in Lakeport.
Phil Psalmonds was diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer last year and has been undergoing treatment in Southern California since then. He was in attendance Friday night after receiving a clean bill of health earlier this week.
“All the girls wore purple socks and some wore purple head bands. I had a purple shirt on,” Clear Lake coach Kory Reynolds said of the color that is symbolic with those fighting throat cancer. Other players also wore purple ribbons in their hair.
Fittingly enough, purple is also one of the school colors of Fort Bragg High School.
“Their coaches knew about it and were wearing purple, too,” Reynolds said.
Morgan Psalmonds scored a team-best 11 points, including two 3-pointers, as the Cardinals boosted their league record to 3-5 and overall mark to 6-8.
Kelcie Reynolds hit four free throws down the stretch to keep the Cardinals in front.
Reynolds” and Coree Alexander”s ballhandling skills also helped Clear Lake, according to Reynolds.
“They did a really good job of controlling the tempo of the game,” Reynolds said. “It could have gotten away from us if we hadn”t been in control.”
Vanessa Tullos had nine points for the Cardinals, who took a 34-32 lead into the fourth quarter. Jessica Asbury added seven points and Reynolds had six.
Cherie Ryden”s 18 points led Fort Bragg (2-6).
