MIDDLETOWN — Middletown’s Mustangs weren’t exactly on their game Wednesday night, senior Cole Ketchum being a notable exception, but they played well enough to beat the St. Helena Saints 62-56 in North Central League I varsity boys basketball action at The Barn in Middletown.
“We just didn’t play well tonight,” Middletown head coach G.J. Rockwell said after watching his Mustangs improve to 3-0 in the league standings and 10-2 overall. “We just didn’t get into a rhythm.”
And it almost cost them against a Saints team that wouldn’t go away.
“They’re big, long and athletic,” Rockwell said of the Saints (1-1). “They grind and they hit the boards. They worked hard the whole way.”
Although Middletown had a double-digit lead in the third quarter, St. Helena tied the score at 53-all with less than two minutes to play. The Mustangs outscored the Saints 9-3 down the stretch to pull out the victory.
Ketchum scored six of his team-leading 28 points in the fourth quarter while teammate Brody Breeden had six of his 18 in the final period to help the Mustangs secure the win.
Luke Hoogendoorn finished with seven points for the Mustangs, who are home again Thursday night to play Clear Lake (2-0).
Middletown also won the junior varsity game 52-40, turning back a St. Helena rally that got the Saints to within two points of the Mustangs late in the fourth quarter.
Oscar Cruz scored 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter to lead a balanced Middletown attack. Jackson Conley added 11 points, including three 3-pointers, Brandon Costlow had eight points, Cooper Johnson had seven and Bodhi Moore six as the Mustangs improved to 3-0 in league play and 7-3 overall.
In other NCL I boys games Wednesday:
Clear Lake 64, RUP 56
At Santa Rosa, back from a COVID-19 quarantine that wiped out their scheduled home league game Monday against St. Helena as well as two games in last week’s Fort Bragg Tournament, the Clear Lake Cardinals enjoyed their best shooting night of the season while beating the Roseland University Prep Knights.
Joey Soderquist scored 24 points to lead the way and Ethan Maize added 18 more as Clear Lake (2-0, 6-4) won its 30th straight league game.
“I’ve known all year Joey and Ethan can shoot the ball like that and tonight they both did,” Clear Lake head coach Mike Damiata said. “If Ethan and Joey can shoot like that we’re going to be in all our games.”
Clear Lake had the game well in hand in the final minutes, according to Damiata.
“They (Knights) hit a couple of 3-pointers there at the end, but with two minutes left it was over,” he said.
Besides a strong night from the field, the Cardinals’ half-court trap defense helped them build a 37-27 halftime lead. Solid rebounding from the likes of Jack Daskam, Cody Hayes, Drake Smart and Greyson Wind also contributed to the win, according to Damiata.
“They were all strong on the boards,” Damiata said.
Roseland University Prep (1-3) shot well in the second half to stay in the game but Clear Lake’s lead over the final two quarters was never in any real jeopardy.
Smart and Daskam finished with eight points apiece.
The Cardinals sank eight 3-pointers — four each by Soderquist and Maize.
Smart and Maddox Albaum suffered minor ankle injuries during the game and Damiata said he is hoping both are able to go Thursday night when the Cardinals visit the Middletown Mustangs, a game that was moved up from Friday because of gym availability.
There was no JV game on Wednesday because a Roseland University Prep player tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the day.
Lower Lake 75, Willits 43
At Lower Lake, Marquis Jones scored 29 points and Jett Guralas added 27, including seven 3-pointers, as the Lower Lake Trojans won their first game of the season, battering the Willits Wolverines in NCL I action.
Lower Lake (1-3, 1-10) led 20-5 after one quarter and 38-11 at halftime.
“They felt good about it,” Lower Lake head coach Jay Jakubowski said of his players’ reaction to their first win of the 2021-22 season. “I’m happy for them to get a mark in the win column. We played well tonight.”
Guralas scored the game’s first 12 points, including three 3-pointers.
“He was on fire, he made everything,” Jakubowski said.
Jones had nine of Lower Lake’s 18 points in the second quarter.
The Trojans also received solid play off the bench from a handful of players, especially Isaiah Robinson, according to Jakubowski.
Lower Lake sank a dozen 3-pointers against the Wolverines, who fell to 0-3 in league play.
Willits won the JV game 45-31.
Lower Lake remains home Friday to play Roseland University Prep (1-3).
