Lake County Record-Bee posted: "ST. HELENA — In a game that was physical and hotly contested until the final minutes, the St. Helena Saints beat the Middletown Mustangs 57-46 in North Central League I varsity boys basketball action Friday night in St. Helena. While the Mustangs (5-5 " Lake County Record-Bee
ST. HELENA — In a game that was physical and hotly contested until the final minutes, the St. Helena Saints beat the Middletown Mustangs 57-46 in North Central League I varsity boys basketball action Friday night in St. Helena.
While the Mustangs (5-5 league, 9-10 overall) suited up more than seven players, head coach Jake Diehl said he was limited to a seven-man rotation.
"You have to uphold standards," Diehl said. "The ones that were out there played hard."
Middletown led 15-8 after one quarter before St. Helena (9-2) pushed ahead 28-26 by halftime. The Saints took a 39-35 lead into the final period.
"It was a battle all the way ... and it was a battle all the way to the flesh if you know what I mean," Diehl said. "It was a very physical game."
St. Helena hit a pair of 3-pointers midway through the fourth quarter to open up the game a bit and the Mustangs were playing an uphill battle from there, according to Diehl.
The Saints' student rooting section definitely added a bit of spice to the game, according to Diehl.
"It was a hostile environment," he said.
Nadav Dicovski led the Mustangs with 17 points, Oscar Cruz added 12 and Wyatt Moore had nine.
The Mustangs play three times next week, beginning with a Monday home game against Clear Lake (8-3).
In the junior varsity game, Jon Hawkins' 15 points and five steals, both team highs, propelled the Middletown Mustangs to a hard-fought 56-49 win over St. Helena.
"I like where the kids' heads are," Middletown head coach Wyatt Hall said as the Mustangs enter a crucial two-game stretch in the league race.
Middletown is 9-1 in league play and hosts a 10-1 Clear Lake squad on Monday. Kelseyville (10-1), which was idle on Friday, hosts St. Helena on Monday before visiting Middletown on Wednesday.
Anthony Bowerman added 12 points to a balanced Middletown scoring attack against the Saints while Troy Taber had 10 points and Jasiah Pike nine.
"Jon, he's just an animal," Hall said of Hawkins. "He flies around the court doing everything."
Bowerman's post play and Taber's shooting efficiency -- he was 5-for-6 from the field -- also contributed to Middletown's win.
In other boys action Friday:
Clear Lake 62, RUP 40
At Lakeport, Jake Soderquist and Cody Hayes took turns taking apart the Roseland University Prep defense as the Cardinals cruised to an easy win over the Knights.
Clear Lake's Jake Soderquist pulls up for a shot against Roseland University Prep. His 23 points led the Cardinals in a 62-40 victory. (Photos courtesy of Trett Bishop)
"They had no answer for Jake and Cody," Clear Lake head coach Mike Damiata said. "They have quick guards, but no big guys."
Hayes, a junior center, burned the Knights down low for 21 points while Soderquist, a junior guard, scored from everywhere on the court.
"Jake was unbelievable," Damiata said. "He went coast to coast on layups, hit mid-range jumpers and 3-pointers."
Soderquist finished with 23 points.
"They both just played great," Damiata said of the junior duo.
Clear Lake had a healthy 29-15 halftime lead before putting the game away with a 25-6 third quarter.
"We played a good first half, but I told them at halftime to put them away in the third quarter and that's what they did," Damiata said.
Clear Lake's reserves played the entire fourth quarter.
Clear Lake's Raul Reyes dribbles around a Roseland University Prep defender.
Along with Soderquist and Cody Hayes, Damiata gave high marks to play the of senior guard Maico Carrillo, who finished with seven points, including a 3-pointer.
"He gave me good defense, hit a 3-pointer and played real well off the bench," Damiata said.
Clear Lake plays three games next week. The Cardinals are at Middletown on Monday, home against Lower Lake on Wednesday, and home against Kelseyville on Friday.
In the JV game, Clear Lake rolled past RUP behind 25 points from Zane McAuley and 19 from AJ Bruch. Now 10-1 in league play, the Cardinals face a big week ahead as they play Middletown (9-1) on Monday in Middletown before returning home for games Wednesday against Lower Lake and Friday against Kelseyville (10-1).
"I think next week is pretty much championship week for us," Clear Lake head coach Shady Cerezo said.
Sonoma Academy 69, Upper Lake 17
At Upper Lake, Sonoma Academy sent the Upper Lake Cougars to a lopsided loss in NCL II action.
The Cougars are 1-6 in league play and 6-13 overall.
No other details were reported.
In the JV game, Upper Lake avenged a 49-30 loss to Sonoma Academy on Monday in Santa Rosa with a 38-32 victory over those very same Coyotes four days later in Upper Lake. The NCL II win keeps the Cougars atop the league standings with a 5-1 record.
"It was a wild one," Upper Lake head coach Thomas Santana said.
Ahead 22-17 at the half, the Cougars pushed their lead to 15 points early in the fourth quarter before the Coyotes got hot from the field, hitting a number of 3-pointers, to close the margin to just four. Delaney Allison hit a pair of clutch free throws down the stretch before teammate Jerod Rosales beat a Sonoma Academy double team for a layup to secure the victory.
"That was the dagger," Santana said of Rosales' basket.
Improved rebounding was the biggest difference between Monday's loss to the Coyotes and Friday's win, according to Santana.
"They outrebounded us 3-to-1 the first time," Santana said. "Tonight was pretty close. We worked hard in practice."
Landon Robinson and Beaux Stiritz scored 10 points apiece to lead the Cougars and Rosales added eight points.
"And he had a bunch of rebounds," Santana said of Rosales.
Upper Lake's JVs have two games remaining, both at home, against Credo and Grace Academy.
"We want to finish strong and win both," Santana said. "We don't want to share the title."
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