ARBUCKLE — Even with all their players in uniform this season, the Middletown Mustangs once again proved no match for the Pierce Bears in the championship game of the Pierce Tournament on Friday night in Arbuckle.
An understrength Middletown varsity boys basketball squad fell 70-28 to Pierce in last season’s Pierce Tournament final, but not even the full-strength Mustangs had much luck this season, falling 60-24.
“They’re really good,” Middletown head coach G.J. Rockwell said. “They’ve got an inside game and an outside game.”
The Bears sank five 3-pointers in the first quarter to move out to a 23-6 lead.
“They had 10 3-pointers for the game,” Rockwell said. “We didn’t play well at all. We got out of what we do early in the game.”
The Bears had a 36-14 lead by halftime.
Will Chastain’s seven points led the Mustangs. He was named to the All-Tournament team along with teammates Jimmy Rockwell and brothers Andres and Sammy Cervantes.
Junior varsity
In the tournament’s junior varsity division, Middletown (4-0) beat Colusa 60-46 to win the tournament championship. All-Tournament selection Lucas DaCosta led the Mustangs with 24 points and averaged better than 20 points a game during the tourney’s three-day run. Cole Ketchum added 12 points while Roberto Chaires and Zach Dubois each had nine points. Dubois also earned All-Tournament honors.
Middletown had a 26-22 lead at halftime and gradually pulled away during the second half.
“They (Red Hawks) were actually doing some good things to break up some or our stuff,” Middletown coach Jon Hoogendoorn said.
