MIDDLETOWN >> You might say that the Middletown Mustangs gave it their best shot before bowing 42-27 to Kelseyville. Presumably that would not encompass the shots they took with the basketball.
You have only to look at the Mustangs’ one for 11 field goal shooting in the first quarter, which ended with the Knights, who weren’t such hotshots themselves, leading 13-2.
It didn’t get much better for Middletown, struggling through the early season with a XXX record. They didn’t score their 20th point until the last two minutes of the third quarter. Other telltale signs of the mistreatment of the basketball were (1) none of the Mustangs scored in double digits; (2) they missed 18 more field goal attempts in the second half and weren’t much better at the free throw line — 2 for 7.
With points at a such a premium it is little wonder that only two Knights — Kyle Elliss and Nick Pfann — led the scoring with 10 points each.
Kelseyville coach Scott Conrad didn’t see that any ineptitude on Middletown’s part contributed to Middletown’s loss.
“A lot of credit to G.J. (Rockwell, Middletown’s head coach),” he said. “They (Mustangs) are well coached. They play hard; they did a lot of things. I’m proud of my kids for just finding a way to get a win here.”
The Mustangs lack nothing in heart. The problem lies with their focus on the basket, which Rockwell believes can be cured by the time a second round in the league race begins.
“We gotta get better,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong. We played hard, but we don’t have offensive scoring and when you don’t have offensive scoring you get in the hole and you make errors.”
The victory boosted Kelseyville’s league record to 4-2 and allowed the Knights to continue their pursuit of unbeaten league leader Fort Bragg (6-0).
“Every night’s going to be a slugfest,” said Conrad. “St. Helena is tough. These guys are tough. We’ll just play them one game at a time.”
