MIDDLETOWN >> Powerhouse Acalanes High School of Lafayette spoiled Middletown’s season debut on Friday night as the Dons built a big halftime lead en route to a 60-39 victory in non-league varsity girls basketball action at Middletown.
Acalanes (3-0), a perennial playoff contender in Division II, led 22-9 after one quarter and 39-15 at halftime against the mostly young Mustangs (0-1).
“I was pretty darn pleased with our performance and effort,” Middletown coach Anthony Bazzano said of his team’s initial outing of the season given the opponent. “Their team is ridiculously fast, they have shooters everywhere and a couple of bigs who can score. They’re loaded.”
Middletown fought back in the second half and outscored Acalanes 24-21.
“They didn’t let up on us,” Bazzano said of the Dons. “We settled down in the second half and made some adjustments.”
Middletown is starting three sophomores this season after graduating several key players from last season’s North Central League I co-championship team, namely center Ashlyn Welton.
“We’re young and we’ve got a lot of improving to do, but we showed significant progress out of the gate,” Bazzano said.
The Mustangs were minus one of their top starters on Friday as Makenzi Smith was on an excused absence from the team. Another veteran, Abby Aden, led Middletown with 12 points, and Hanna Morris had 10 in her varsity debut.
Isabel Montalvan and Ellie Bazzano didn’t score in the game for Middletown but played well nonetheless, according to Bazzano.
Middletown is playing another tough preseason schedule – a Bazzano trademark — as it prepares for the start of league play next month. The Mustangs travel to De Anza (El Sobrante) on Tuesday before opening play in the Analy Tournament on Thursday in Sebastopol.
Acalanes also beat Middletown in junior varsity action on Friday. Results were not reported.
