FORT BRAGG >> The third time wasn’t the charm and neither was the fourth although the Clear Lake Cardinals did hang around on Wednesday night in a 78-60 loss to Mesa Verde in the varsity boys’ championship game of the Vern Piver Holiday Classic basketball tournament at Fort Bragg High School.
Having already secured second-place finishes at the Stokes, John McMillan and Hoop Classic tournaments earlier this month, the Cardinals were hoping to bring home a title in their fourth and final December tourney.
“If you had told me at the beginning of the season that we would finish second in all four of our tournaments, I don’t think I would have believed you,” Clear Lake coach Scott De Leon said. “While it’s frustrating not to win one, we had to play good basketball to get there.”
Although bringing home the runner-up trophy proved to be a trend for the Cardinals (8-4) in the month of December, De Leon said Clear Lake’s opponents in those championship games certainly had something to do with it.
“We get into these championship games and they (opposition) shoot lights out in the first half,” he said.
Mesa Verde scored 53 first-half points to open up a 22-point halftime lead.
“They came out red-hot. Their quickness was definitely a problem for us and I’d need a calculator to figure out our turnovers,” De Leon said of 22 Clear Lake miscues.
Clear Lake stayed within range in the second half thanks in part to the play of Stevie Diaz, who led the Cardinals with 18 points, and Ryan Damiata, who ended up with 10 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Both players were named to the All-Tournament squad.
“Ryan had three really outstanding games,” De Leon said. “It was a fantastic tournament for him and he deserves it.”
Tanner Hutton added 16 points.
Clear Lake advanced to the tourney finals with a 70-67 victory over Roseland Prep of Santa Rosa during Tuesday’s semifinal round. Damiata powered the Cardinals with a season-high 26 points, Max De Leon added 12 and Diaz, Hutton and Bryce Richardson each had eight.
In opening-round action Monday, Clear Lake hammered St. Bernard of Eureka 65-47 behind 18 points from Diaz, 14 from Hutton and 13 from De Leon.
