LAKEPORT — The fourth time was the charm for the Clear Lake Cardinals … just like the first, second and third times.
A Damian Lopez layup with 25 seconds left put Clear Lake ahead to stay and the Cardinals held their breath as Middletown missed a shot from right underneath the basket in the final seconds of a 64-62 victory that caps a 14-0 North Central League I season for coach Jeremy Hopkins” junior varsity boys” basketball squad.
The league- and season-ending victory for the Cardinals on Thursday at Clear Lake High School marked the fourth time Clear Lake, 25-1 overall and a winner of its last 20 games, has beaten Middletown in 2011-12. It also clinched the outright league championship for the Cardinals, who would have shared the title with the Mustangs (12-2) had they lost.
“We made some plays at the end, that was the difference,” Hopkins said. “We knew it wasn”t going to be easy, but that”s what makes it worthwhile. It was a well-played game by both teams.”
“They earned it, they beat us four times, they”re the champs,” Middletown coach Jon Hoogendoorn said. “We had our chances.”
Trailing 21-11 after one quarter, the Cardinals never panicked, according to Hopkins.
“We switched defenses (going from a 3-2 zone to 1-3-1) in the second quarter,” Hopkins said. “I told them at the end of the quarter that we had weathered the storm, to shorten their runs and lengthen ours.”
A 17-4 second quarter favoring Clear Lake put the Cardinals up 28-25 at halftime.
“I put Damian on top (in the 1-3-1), he has such long arms,” Hopkins said. “We put pressure on their guards and did force some turnovers.”
“I thought we were going to run them out of the gym in the first quarter,” Hoogendoorn said. “But when (Anthony) Guzman got into foul trouble in the second quarter, everything was going for them.”
Clear Lake took a 47-42 lead into the fourth quarter, one that seesawed back and forth. Charlie Marquez hit a 3-pointer with 1:13 left to snap a 58-all tie and give the Cardinals the lead.
“Marquez was falling out of bounds when he made it,” Hopkins said of the trey that temporarily put Clear Lake in front. “It was one heck of a shot.”
Middletown battled back in front 62-61 with consecutive baskets. The Cardinals regained the lead, this time for good, when Jordan Chana spotted Lopez alone underneath the basket.
“He made a great pass through traffic to get him the ball,” Hopkins said.
Following Lopez”s go-ahead basket with 25 seconds remaining, the Mustangs turned it over as Lopez came up with a steal and was fouled. With the Cardinals in the double bonus, he made the first of two free throws to give Clear Lake a 64-62 lead with 12.4 seconds left.
Middletown missed a long two-point shot but eventually came up with the ball after a wild scramble for the rebound. But the Mustangs couldn”t take advantage, missing what Hopkins called a “1-footer” as time expired.
“It rolled out,” Hopkins said.
“They were pretty down in the locker room after the game, there were some tears shed,” Hoogendoorn said. “Different players blamed themselves, but they all worked their butts off for me this season. We win as a team, we lose as a team … it”s no one player”s fault.”
Both teams executed well on offense most of the game, according to Hopkins. Clear Lake had four players score in double figures — Marquez led the way with 15, David Mansell added 14, Lopez had 12 and Ootie Lane 11 — while Wyatt Hall and Brandon Rannells led the Mustangs with 17 and 14 points, respectively. Three other Mustangs — Guzman, Ian Bright and Cody Chorjel — added nine points apiece.
Diversified offense is nothing new for the Cardinals and part of the reason why they lost only once in 26 games this season, according to Hopkins.
“You can”t key on one guy. All these guys can hit the open shot. It”s fun to watch,” Hopkins added.
“They have five guys who can put the ball in the basket,” Hoogendoorn said. “I think they got even better when (Danny) Partida went up to the varsity. Before then, it was guard Danny. I think they”re tougher to defend now.”
Clear Lake also hit free throws under pressure. Clear Lake went 10-for-14 from the line in the fourth quarter, making just three field goals in the period.
“We would go to the line and hit one of two, they would make two of two, that was the difference,” Hoogendoorn said.
Clear Lake”s coach acknowledged that the presence of four sophomores in his starting lineup made things a lot easier on him, especially during practices.
“Sometimes I could step back and let them run the beginning of practice,” Hopkins said. “If the other players weren”t doing it right, they (sophomores) let them know about it.”
Hoogendoorn said Clear Lake”s deep bench is a luxury he didn”t have.
“I”m not deep, I don”t have the bench he does,” Hoogendoorn said of Hopkins.
While Clear Lake”s coach expected a big year from his squad, he didn”t see 25-1 coming.
“I don”t think you can ever expect that,” Hopkins said. “But they play so well together. Even when we were down (62-61), we had the confidence to know we were going to win the game. We were either going to win in regulation or in overtime, that”s just the kind of confidence we have.”
Added Hoogendoorn, “I know my guys are disappointed now, but they”ll get another shot at those guys in the coming years. They”ve got a pretty good rivalry going.”
