FORT BRAGG >> An accomplished player on Lake County’s junior golf circuit, Kelseyville High School’s Matt Wotherspoon knows all about calculating the angles. He put that experience to good use on Tuesday night, only this time as a freshman guard for the Knights’ junior varsity boys’ basketball team.
Wotherspoon banked in a 3-pointer in the final seconds to beat the Fort Bragg Timberwolves 49-46 in a North Central League I game at Fort Bragg.
“We were hoping to draw a foul,” Kelseyville coach Rich Facey said of a Knights possession that began with about 20 seconds left and the score knotted at 46.
The Timberwolves didn’t oblige as they played good defense in the game’s waning moments. With time about to run out, an off-balance Wotherspoon did the only thing he could do, let it fly.
“He banked it in off the glass,” Kelseyville coach Rich Facey said of the game-winning shot. “It was crazy.”
The Knights (6-3) needed to win to stay in the NCL I race. They are two games behind Lower Lake (8-1) with five remaining.
“It’s a good win on the road for the kids,” Facey said.
Kelseyville led by as many as 10 points before Fort Bragg rallied to draw even.
Wotherspoon led the Knights with 13 points, Randy Pfann added 12, Johnny Mendonca had eight and Trey Conrad seven.
In other JV boys’ action Tuesday:
Clear Lake 86
Lower Lake 61
At Lakeport, Max De Leon and Tanner Hutton scored 26 points apiece and the Clear Lake Cardinals handed the Lower Lake Trojans their first league loss.
De Leon sank six 3-pointers as the Cardinals kept their NCL I title hopes alive at 6-3. Ryan Damiata also came up big with 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
Ethan Watson’s 13 points paced the Trojans, now 8-1 in league play. Reed Diener added 12 points and Jordan McGrath had 10.
“Clear Lake played great,” Lower Lake coach Shannon Tubbs said. “I can’t take anything away from them.”
Middletown 45
St. Helena 40
At Middletown, Pierce Bracisco and Beckett Hoage scored 11 points apiece as the Middletown Mustangs knocked off the St. Helena Saints.
The game was tied 18-18 at the half. A 12-5 third quarter put the Mustangs ahead to stay. Hoage sealed the victory by hitting four big free throws down the stretch.
Ricardo Chaires had 10 points for Middletown.
Girls
Middletown 34
St. Helena 17
At St. Helena, Callie Wilson led the way with 17 points and Katie Miinch had eight points as the Middletown Mustangs defeated the St. Helena Saints in NCL I action.
Middletown improved to 5-4 in league play with the victory.
Clear Lake 59
Lower Lake 45
At Lower Lake, Corin Alakszay’s 23 points powered the undefeated Clear Lake Cardinals to their 21st victory in a row, a league win over the Lower Lake Trojans.
Clear Lake is 9-0 in league play and 21-0 overall with five games remaining.
Valerie Hutton added 14 points in the victory while Kiana Richardson had 12.
For Lower Lake, now 6-3 in the NCL I standings, Shayna Pike finished with 12 points and Vanessa Hughes had 11.
