LAFAYETTE >> The Middletown Mustangs faced a tough task under the best of circumstances on Tuesday night when they traveled to Lafayette to play the undefeated Acalanes Dons in a non-league varsity girls’ basketball game.
“It’s not like we expected to go on their home floor and beat them, but we never gave ourselves a chance,” Middletown coach Anthony Bazzano said of a slow start that doomed the Mustangs to a 77-48 loss to the Division II team.
“We came out flat in both halves against a very, very, very good basketball team,” Bazzano said. “We weren’t ready to go.”
Acalanes (9-0) jumped all over Middletown’s turnovers during a 26-8 first quarter. The Mustangs (5-3) answered with a strong second quarter but still trailed 48-26 at the half.
“We have a long way to go before we can compete at that level,” Bazzano said.
The Mustangs received another big effort from post Ashlyn Welton, who led the Mustangs with 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. Abby Aden added 14 points and six rebounds while Makenzi Smith had seven points.
“We scored 48 points and that should keep you around in a game but we made far too many mistakes tonight and let them get away from us early,” Bazzano said. “We gave away the game in the first quarter. It’s pretty frustrating.”
The Mustangs return to action Dec. 28 when they play Alhambra in the opening round of the West Coast Jamboree at Alhambra High. Tip-off is 8 p.m.
