ST. HELENA >> Ryan Damiata did a little bit of everything as the Clear Lake Cardinals continued scoring points in bunches Friday night while beating the St. Helena Saints 64-61 in a North Central League I junior varsity boys’ basketball game at St. Helena.
Three games out of first place only a week ago, the Cardinals cut Lower Lake’s lead to a single game and are tied with Kelseyville for second place headed into the final two weeks of the regular season. Lower Lake opens the week at 8-2 to Clear Lake’s and Kelseyville’s 7-3.
Damiata, a sophomore, not only led the Cardinals with 17 points, but he also had seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Max De Leon added 16 points, Tanner Hutton chipped in with 15 and Cameron Borg had nine.
In other JV boys’ action Friday:
Kelseyville 52
Middletown 40
At Kelseyville, Ean Valenuzua led the way with 15 points and Nate Carpenter added 10 as the Kelseyville Knights improved to 16-6 overall with a win over the Middletown Mustangs.
Matt Wotherspoon had nine points for Kelseyville. Ricardo Chaires’ 10 points led Middletown.
Cloverdale 61
Lower Lake 57
At Cloverdale, Marlon Jones scored 26 points but the Lower Lake Trojans fell to the Cloverdale Eagles, their second straight NCL I loss after eight consecutive wins.
Garrett Chernoh added 15 points and Ethan Watson had 10 for Lower Lake, which can snap its two-game skid tonight at home against Willits at 5:30 p.m. The Trojans travel to Kelseyville on Friday.
Girls
Clear Lake 35
St. Helena 12
At Lakeport, even without their leading scorer on the season, Valerie Hutton, in the starting lineup, the Clear Lake Cardinals improved to 10-0 in league and 22-0 overall with a victory over the St. Helena Saints. Camille Donald helped pick up the slack with 12 points and Corin Alakszay added nine.
“The girls came through, I’m really proud of the bench,” Clear Lake coach Jamie Watkins said.
Kiana Richardson had six points in the win.
Hutton will be back in action today when the Cardinals visit Kelseyville at 3:30 p.m., part of a four-game set between the two schools.
Cloverdale 50
Lower Lake 49
At Lower Lake, Claire Alderson clicked for 16 points and Vanessa Hughes added 13 as the Lower Lake Trojans lost a thriller to the Cloverdale Eagles.
Elizabeth Ingalls just missed a double-double for the Trojans with nine points and a team-leading 14 rebounds.
Middletown 53
Kelseyville 35
At Middletown, Katie Miinch’s 16 points powered the Middletown Mustangs past the Kelseyville Knights in league action. Callie Wilson added 13 points as Middletown improved to 6-4 in the NCL I standings.
