ARBUCKLE — Andreas Cervantes led the way with 23 points, but it was a total team effort on the part of Middletown that led to the varsity Mustangs’ 60-51 season-opening victory over Colusa on Wednesday night in the opening round of the Pierce Invitational at Arbuckle.
The varsity and junior varsity boys basketball tournament runs through Friday.
“Obviously Andreas played well,” Middletown head coach G.J. Rockwell said. “But in a game like this everybody had to step up and contribute and everybody did. It was a good team win.”
Middletown (1-0) is missing several of its players who are still participating in the North Coast Section Division V football playoffs. Rockwell had to borrow a handful of JV players just to field a team.
“We survived to fight another day,” Rockwell said.
The game also marked the return of Noah Brown to the hardwood. Brown sustained a serious knee injury, tearing the ACL and MCL, last December during Middletown’s participation in the Redwood Empire Invitational at Healdsburg. He finished with eight points, including two of the Mustangs’ seven 3-pointers.
“It was nice to have him back out there,” Rockwell said.
Middletown benefited from balanced scoring in its season debut. Jimmy Rockwell finished with 11 points, Will Chastain added 10 and Sammy Cervantes had eight.
“We came out like a rocket and things were going our way early on,” Rockwell said.
Middletown led 31-24 at halftime and pushed its lead into double digits before running into foul trouble. Colusa rallied at that point but the Mustangs were able to hold on.
“The guys were able to make things happen,” Rockwell said. “Everybody made it happen.”
Middletown plays Williams in the winner’s semifinal round Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
