LOWER LAKE >> Tanner Hutton may not be related to EF Hutton, but when he scores, the Cardinals listen and win.
Hutton scored nine of his 21 points in the fourth quarter on Thursday night as the Cardinals pulled away to beat the Lower Lake Trojans 58-48 in the late junior varsity game at the 21st annual Record-Bee Hoop Classic in Lower Lake.
In a dogfight with Lower Lake through three quarters, Clear Lake pushed ahead 45-44 in the final seconds of the third period on a Kyle Ashworth basket. That bucket sparked an 11-0 Cardinals run as Clear Lake scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter, five of them by Hutton, to go up 54-44. Lower Lake was never closer than eight points the rest of the way.
While Hutton did plenty of damage against the Lower Lake defense, so did teammate Ryan Damiata, who also finished with 21 points.
Clear Lake led 16-9 after one quarter and boosted its advantage to 25-15 on a Max De Leon 3-pointer with 2:16 left in the second period. Yet back came the Trojans with their own 11-0 run to end the quarter, giving them a 26-25 advantage at the half.
The Cardinals pushed out to a 39-32 lead midway through the third quarter before the Trojans once again rallied back in front at 42-41. The lead changed hands three times in the final 1:49 of the period.
Lower Lake’s balanced attack was led by Reed Diener with 16 points and Marlon Jones with 15. Ethan Watson joined them in double figures with 10.
The Trojans beat the Cardinals earlier this month in the semifinals of Clear Lake’s own tournament at Lakeport.
In the early JV game Thursday:
Kelseyville 58
Middletown 45
Gideon Turner scored 21 points, hitting a pair of 3-pointers in the process, and the Kelseyville Knights opened play with a victory over last year’s Hoop Classic champions.
Ean Valenzuela added 11 points and Randy Pfann had eight for the Knights, setting up a battle between Kelseyville and Clear Lake in today’s second round.
Down 10-6 after one quarter, Kelseyville finally found its offense and pushed ahead 21-18 on a Trey Conrad 3-pointer late in the second quarter. Pfann added to the lead with a basket a short time later as the Knights went into halftime up 23-19.
Kelseyville’s offense shifted from warm to hot in the third quarter. The Knights scored the first four points of the period, part of a 15-2 run that boosted their lead to 38-21.
Middletown was never closer than nine points the rest of the way.
Connor Santos led the Mustangs with 13 points, Josh Wilson finished with 12, and Ricardo Chaires had nine.
Middletown meets Lower Lake in a battle of 0-1 teams in today’s second round.
