MIDDLETOWN >> Kelseyville came out on top against host Middletown in what proved to be a mad, mad, mad, mad game in the Mustangs” gym on Tuesday night. As a matter of fact, Middletown coach G.J. Rockwell was still mad 15 minutes after the Knights” 57-53 victory.
The object of Rockwell”s objection was a call in the final minute of the contest. Specifically, he was embittered over an offensive foul call whistled against Mustang guard Anthonie Guzman.
Guzman was cited while driving for the tying basket with Kelseyville in front 55-53. The officials disallowed the basket. Kelseyville”s Victor Fernandez hit two free throws in the final 10 seconds to account the four-point margin of victory.
Rockwell said he felt the officiating crew was not consistent with its calls.
“Personally, I thought you don”t determine the fate of either team when the game”s going like that. You don”t call the whole game that way, then change it in the last possession,” Rockwell said. “I was right there and I did not see how it could be an offensive foul when he (Guzman) is falling away from the basket.”
Guzman, who led the Mustangs with 19 points, was tabbed to take the tying shot during the last of four timeouts called in the final minute and a half of the game.
The win, which improved Kelseyville”s season mark to 10-4 and North Central League record to 2-1, was achieved only after a physical battle. Both Knights coach Scott Conrad and Rockwell agreed on that.
“Middletown is physical,” Conrad said. “They tried to bully us. They keep coming at you with shoulders and hips.” Conrad praised Tyler Riewerts, his most physical player, for standing up to the Mustang aggression, which is a part of Middletown”s defensive style.
“Tyler”s one of our tough kids,” Conrad said. “We needed him tonight. We”re not even in that game without him.”
The Knights also needed 17 points from Kyle Ellis and 15 points from Brandon Huber, who sank five 3-pointers.
Riewerts” most important play was wrestling Cody Chorjel to a jump ball following a rebound in the final 23 seconds. It gave the Knights the ball because the possession arrow was pointed their way. Chorjel was Middletown”s second-leading high scorer with 18 points.
What was particularly tough for the Mustangs (9-5, 1-2) was that they led the game until the final minute. The best Kelseyville could do was move into a tie at the end of the third quarter. And they have been all but invincible in their home against Kelseyville in recent seasons.
“The kids could have laid down and died, but we just kept chipping away,” Conrad said. “It”s been a while since we got a win here. They”ve won a lot of nailbiters here against us. I”m just really proud of our kids.”
Said Rockwell: “They”re very well coached. I have a lot of respect for them, so by no means do you take that away from Kelseyville, but I just think if the game”s going to be played a certain way and you”re going to set the tone to be played that way, it should be played that way at the last.”
