ALHAMBRA >> Three games in three nights for the Middletown Mustangs, who wrapped up their participation in the West Coast Jamboree with a 57-47 loss to Concord in the championship game of the quartz division on Wednesday night at Alhambra High School in Alhambra.
The West Coast Jamboree features 128 basketball teams competing in 16 different eight-team divisions.
“We gave up too many points in the second half,” Middletown varsity girls’ head coach Anthony Bazzano said of the 35 points allowed by the Mustangs over the final two quarters, wiping out a 28-22 Middletown halftime lead. “We have to play better defense then that.”
The Mustangs (7-4) overwhelmed Analy High School 48-21 in the semifinals on Tuesday night after posting a 47-30 victory over Alhambra in opening-round action Monday night. All quartz division games were played at Alhambra High School.
Against Concord in the championship game, the Mustangs were done in by a 17-7 third quarter when the Minutemen (7-2) threw a wrinkle Middletown’s way by working the ball inside to their 6-foot-2 center.
“They have two very good guards who shoot the heck out of the ball,” Bazzano said. “We didn’t expect that (big) girl to be that much of a problem but she scored four quick baskets during one stretch and that kind of turned the game upside down for us.”
Concord then buried a couple of 3-pointers to open up a 39-32 lead after three quarters.
Middletown also didn’t help itself at the free-throw line, hitting just five of 16 shots.
“We could have had a double-digit lead by halftime,” Bazzano said. “We left points out on the floor.”
Abby Aden’s 21 points paced the Mustangs against Concord and Ashlyn Welton added 13, leaving her just 15 points shy of 1,000 for her career.
In Tuesday’s action against Analy, Welton led the Mustangs with 14 points, Aden finished with 11 and Makenzi Smith and Kaleigh Alves added eight apiece.
During Monday’s win against Alhambra, Smith and Welton powered the Mustangs with 13 points apiece while Alves had 10.
Middletown hosts Lower Lake in the North Central League I opener for both teams on Tuesday.
