FORT BRAGG — A significant road hurdle is now in Clear Lake’s rear view mirror after the Cardinals used a huge third quarter to knock off the Fort Bragg Timberwolves 64-40 on Friday night in Fort Bragg, pushing their North Central League I record to 12-0.
Clear Lake’s varsity boys can clinch no worse than a co-championship for the league title with a victory against Kelseyville on Tuesday, which is also senior night for the Cardinals as they play their final regular-season home game.
A packed house at Fort Bragg helped keep the Timberwolves (8-4) in contention in the first half as Clear Lake went into halftime leading only 28-24.
“They threw everything they had at us in the first half and they knocked down some shots,” Clear Lake head coach Scott De Leon said. Of the Timberwolves (8-4). “We’ve gotten used to that. We made a couple of adjustments on offense and we just came out and played our game (in the third quarter).”
Sticking with a man-to-man defense all night, the Cardinals ratcheted up the pressure and limited the Timberwolves to seven points while scoring 24 themselves to open up a 52-31 lead.
“That third quarter certinaly was the difference,” De Leon said. “We turned up the pressure at both ends. I’m really, really pleased with the way we played defense in that quarter.”
Jaron Mertle scored nine of his team-leading 22 points in the third quarter, Travis Howe had six of his nine points in the period, and Darius Ford (18 points) buried a pair of 3-pointers.
Mertle and Tyler Cerini continue to dominate on the offensive and defense boards for the Cardinals, according to De Leon. Mertle had 13 rebounds overall while Cerini finished with 12.
“Cerini had a great night,” De Leon said. “We boxed out a little bit better in the second half and didn’t give them many second chances.”
Clear Lake finished with more steals (11) than turnovers (nine), always a good sign. Howe led the team with four steals while Ford and Donovan Valadez added three apiece.
“Howe played great defense,” De Leon said.
The Cardinals aren’t completely out of the woods yet as far as the league race goes because they face a Thursday regular-season finale at Cloverdale (11-1). Cloverdale also hosts Fort Bragg on Tuesday.
Junior varsity
In the junior varsity game, the Clear Lake Cardinals lost their second straight league game, dropping a 65-57 decision to the Fort Bragg Timberwolves, to fall out of a first-place tie atop the NCL I standings.
Clear Lake, Cloverdale and Middletown all began the night tied at 9-2, but Cloverdale (10-2) is now in sole possession of first after beating Middletown 59-49 on Friday night in Middletown.
Individual scoring was not reported.
Clear Lake, 19-4 overall, can still clinch no worse than a share of the league title if its wins its final two games — home Tuesday against Kelseyville and away Thursday at Cloverdale.
