MIDDLETOWN — Don’t tell the Middletown Mustangs they don’t have anything left to play for as the North Central League I varsity boys basketball season winds down.
Behind a strong fourth-quarter finish on Saturday, Middletown upended the St. Helena Saints 48-39 to improve to 4-7 in the league standings.
After playing strong defense in back-to-back league losses to Clear Lake (6-5) and Cloverdale (9-2) earlier in the week, the Mustangs put a stranglehold on the Saints’ offense, double-teaming their top player and shutting down the taller Saints in the paint.
“We played really, really good defense again,” Middletown coach G.J. Rockwell said. “Everybody was in foul trouble on both sides in the first half because it was a rough game and that plays to our advantage,” Rockwell said.
Both teams had to press their reserves into action and Middletown’s did a better job, according to Rockwell.
“We had to go to our bench early and everyone did a good job,” Rockwell said.
Middletown held a 31-29 lead going into the fourth quarter after both teams managed to put just five points on the scoreboard in the third period. Beckett Hoage took it from there, scoring nine of his 11 points in the closing minutes, including two big 3-pointers.
“He hit one of his 3-pointers to give us a 12-point lead and that was huge,” Rockwell said.
Thomas Cook led the Mustangs early on, scoring all of his team-leading 15 points in the first half.
Also coming up big in the win was Ricardo Chaires, who finished with six points, 11 rebounds and four steals.
“He had a great game,” Rockwell said. “It was a big team win.”
Middletown is still in contention for a spot in the league’s postseason tournament but will need a strong finish to make it. Only the top four teams in the standings advance. The Mustangs play at Fort Bragg on Tuesday, are home Friday against Kelseyville, and close it out at Willits on Feb. 14.
