ARBUCKLE — Luke Hoogendoorn is a point guard who can fill up the basket if the need arises, and the freshman did exactly that on Wednesday afternoon, scoring a team-best 18 points as the Middletown Mustangs defeated host Pierce 41-29 in a first-round junior varsity division game at the Pierce Invitational.
“He doesn’t turn the ball over,” said dad and Middletown head coach Jon Hoogendoorn. “When he wants to be an offensive force he can be.”
With Middletown (1-0) at less than full strength for its season opener, the younger Hoogendoorn’s 18 points, including three 3-pointers, came in handy. Because of Middletown’s continuing participation in the North Coast Section football playoffs, both of the Mustangs’ boys basketball squads – JV and varsity – were shorthanded for Wednesday’s first-round action.
Of the five Middletown players who reached the scoring column against Pierce, only two – Hoogendoorn and Victor Martinez (nine points) – are likely starters for the Mustangs, according to Hoogendoorn.
Lucas Dacosta added six points in the win.
Middletown draws Oroville on Thursday at 2 p.m. in the winner’s bracket semifinals. The tournament concludes on Friday.
