COLUSA >> The Clear Lake Cardinals rallied in the second half and briefly took the lead in the fourth quarter before falling 42-40 to the Pierce Bears in first-round varsity girls’ basketball action at the Colusa Tournament on Thursday night.
Clear Lake (0-1) trailed 25-14 at halftime but cut that deficit to 34-32 by the end of three quarters, in large part because of an 11-point third period by Valerie Hutton, who led the Cardinals with 21 points, 15 on 3-pointers.
“We got up by two at one point in the fourth quarter,” Clear Lake coach Kory Reynolds said.
Six fouls called against the Cardinals during a two-minute span after they moved in front snuffed out Clear Lake’s momentum, according to Reynolds.
While Clear Lake’s coach wasn’t thrilled with the officiating down the stretch, he said the Cardinals only have themselves to blame after a cold-shooting first half.
“We can’t dig ourselves a hole like that,” he said.
Taylor Helms finished with 11 points.
Clear Lake plays Sutter today at 3 p.m.
